Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ATHENA (Implementing gender equality plans to unlock research potential of RPOs and RFOs in Europe)
Reporting period: 2023-08-01 to 2025-07-31
The ATHENA project aimed at supporting consortium partners, which included 6 Research Performing Organisations (RPOs), and 2 Research Funding Organisations (RFOs), in the development and implementation of Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) to generate systemic institutional changes.
Therefore, the project focused on 8 research performing organisations and research funding organizations of selected EU Central-Eastern countries and outermost regions, which appeared to be lagging behind EU trend with respect to the goals of removing barriers to the recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers; address gender imbalances in decision making processes; generate a cultural change needed to avoid future gender bias and discriminatory practices.
The implementation of the GEPs within the project aimed to generate a sustainable cultural and institutional change which in turns allowed to unlock the research potential of the partnering organizations. Improving gender equality in research organizations indeed contributed to the improvement of the overall research potential of such Universities and other research organisations, thus fostering the achievement of the European Research Area objectives.
Following the GEAR tool, the project worked on four main levels: higher and middle management, HR professionals, professors and researchers and administrative staff.
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the ATHENA project:
• Carried out a detailed gender audit in order to assess the current gender bias, segregation and other intersectional issues in each partner research organisation, in this way aiming at institutional diversity and allowing comparisons between partners.
• Supported the improvement of the organisational structure of research organisations and capacity building in order to allow an efficient implementation of gender equality strategies;
• Implemented a participatory approach based on co-design involving internal staff and other stakeholders (students, NGOs working on gender issues, professional orders, policy-makers, etc) in focus groups and workshops in order to include and benefit from their perspectives, needs and preferences into the GEPs;
• Developed and implemented one tailored Gender Equality Plan in each RPO or RFO to ensure gender equality;
• Supported coherent monitoring, reporting and evaluation of progress made with common gender sensitive indicators to assess achievements;
• Developed a sustainability strategy in order to involve interested stakeholders contributing to the potential replication of GEPs in a wider number of organisations;
• Disseminated the project’s activities and results to allow a larger number of RPOs, RFOs, Universities and research communities to develop, implement and/or promote similar initiatives, reaching a critical mass of research stakeholders.
Therefore, the project focused on 8 research performing organisations and research funding organizations of selected EU Central-Eastern countries and outermost regions, which appeared to be lagging behind EU trend with respect to the goals of removing barriers to the recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers; address gender imbalances in decision making processes; generate a cultural change needed to avoid future gender bias and discriminatory practices.
The implementation of the GEPs within the project aimed to generate a sustainable cultural and institutional change which in turns allowed to unlock the research potential of the partnering organizations. Improving gender equality in research organizations indeed contributed to the improvement of the overall research potential of such Universities and other research organisations, thus fostering the achievement of the European Research Area objectives.
Following the GEAR tool, the project worked on four main levels: higher and middle management, HR professionals, professors and researchers and administrative staff.
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the ATHENA project:
• Carried out a detailed gender audit in order to assess the current gender bias, segregation and other intersectional issues in each partner research organisation, in this way aiming at institutional diversity and allowing comparisons between partners.
• Supported the improvement of the organisational structure of research organisations and capacity building in order to allow an efficient implementation of gender equality strategies;
• Implemented a participatory approach based on co-design involving internal staff and other stakeholders (students, NGOs working on gender issues, professional orders, policy-makers, etc) in focus groups and workshops in order to include and benefit from their perspectives, needs and preferences into the GEPs;
• Developed and implemented one tailored Gender Equality Plan in each RPO or RFO to ensure gender equality;
• Supported coherent monitoring, reporting and evaluation of progress made with common gender sensitive indicators to assess achievements;
• Developed a sustainability strategy in order to involve interested stakeholders contributing to the potential replication of GEPs in a wider number of organisations;
• Disseminated the project’s activities and results to allow a larger number of RPOs, RFOs, Universities and research communities to develop, implement and/or promote similar initiatives, reaching a critical mass of research stakeholders.
The starting point of the project were the tasks implemented under WP2. The project first performed an assessment of the procedures and practices already in place, together with an analysis of the context of national provisions, specific incentives, existing barriers, and bias at each ATHENA institution developing and implementing a GEP.
In parallel, within WP3, the outcomes of the WP2 activities served as input for the design and deployment of capacity building activities for the Gender Equality Plan Implementation (GEPI) Committees, established at each ATHENA RPO/RFO implementing a GEP. A total of 92 committed GEPI Committee members were identified and involved in ATHENA. The capacity building was successfully implemented. To complement these efforts, three mutual learning workshops were organised during the project in order to meet “peers” from the other consortium countries. Such events offered a space to share visions and experiences for continuous improvement and awareness.
Leveraging the outcomes of WP2 and WP3, the project implemented WP4 activities, which were the pillar for the consortium to reach the expected objectives and impacts. WP4 was devoted to the development and implementation of the GEPs in the 8 partner institutions. The work started with a best practices analysis about GEPs implemented in RPOs and RFOs all over Europe was performed. Additionally, a Toolkit for transforming the institutional culture in terms of gender aspects was developed, offering an array of tools and resources that may assist them with examples, guidance and inspiration useful for tailoring GEPs. Based on this common framework, ATHENA RFOs and RFOs developed, approved, and successfully implemented their GEPs.
WP5 was dedicated to continuous monitoring of the GEPs, while also ensuring periodic assessments and a final impact evaluation as summarised in D5.4 Impact report.
WP6 and WP7 were dedicated to make ATHENA experiences and results available to the external audiences and to sustain those in the long term. WP6 focused on a series of sustainability and exploitation tasks, from the development of a web-based community platform for action (www.gender-equality.eu) to the implementation of local sustainability workshops, the drafting of policy recommendations and position papers and the organisation of a high-level policy event in Brussels, which took place in May 2025. WP7 was devoted to dissemination and communication through diverse channels, such as website, social media, press releases, newsletters, events, and scientific publications.
In parallel, within WP3, the outcomes of the WP2 activities served as input for the design and deployment of capacity building activities for the Gender Equality Plan Implementation (GEPI) Committees, established at each ATHENA RPO/RFO implementing a GEP. A total of 92 committed GEPI Committee members were identified and involved in ATHENA. The capacity building was successfully implemented. To complement these efforts, three mutual learning workshops were organised during the project in order to meet “peers” from the other consortium countries. Such events offered a space to share visions and experiences for continuous improvement and awareness.
Leveraging the outcomes of WP2 and WP3, the project implemented WP4 activities, which were the pillar for the consortium to reach the expected objectives and impacts. WP4 was devoted to the development and implementation of the GEPs in the 8 partner institutions. The work started with a best practices analysis about GEPs implemented in RPOs and RFOs all over Europe was performed. Additionally, a Toolkit for transforming the institutional culture in terms of gender aspects was developed, offering an array of tools and resources that may assist them with examples, guidance and inspiration useful for tailoring GEPs. Based on this common framework, ATHENA RFOs and RFOs developed, approved, and successfully implemented their GEPs.
WP5 was dedicated to continuous monitoring of the GEPs, while also ensuring periodic assessments and a final impact evaluation as summarised in D5.4 Impact report.
WP6 and WP7 were dedicated to make ATHENA experiences and results available to the external audiences and to sustain those in the long term. WP6 focused on a series of sustainability and exploitation tasks, from the development of a web-based community platform for action (www.gender-equality.eu) to the implementation of local sustainability workshops, the drafting of policy recommendations and position papers and the organisation of a high-level policy event in Brussels, which took place in May 2025. WP7 was devoted to dissemination and communication through diverse channels, such as website, social media, press releases, newsletters, events, and scientific publications.
After five years of work, the ATHENA project successfully managed not only in establishing and implementing GEPs across eight partner institutions, but also in sparking a true transformation in mindsets and institutional cultures in the involved partner organisations.
Key milestones for the project have been:
• Comprehensive gender audit at organisational and national levels in 8 countries;
• Capacity building programme to drive systemic institutional change within partners institutions;
• Development and implementation of 8 GEPs;
• Replication actions for exploitation of project results, including local workshops, one EURAXESS webinar, video interviews, policy briefs, position papers, and high-level policy events;
• Evidence-based policy recommendations to foster gender equality strategies for research excellence and in smaller, younger or remote performing organisations.
The implementation of the ATHENA GEPs was executed thanks to a strategic commitment of high-level management levels of all the involved organisations and promoted real institutional changes while drawing on the project’s hands-on-experience to influence policy and practice across Europe’s research and innovation ecosystems.
All these achievements mark a major step forward. Yet the journey continues, especially in sustaining these gains within smaller, younger, and more remote “ATHENAtype” organisations, and in deepening partners’ commitment to gender and diversity through an intersectional approach.
Key milestones for the project have been:
• Comprehensive gender audit at organisational and national levels in 8 countries;
• Capacity building programme to drive systemic institutional change within partners institutions;
• Development and implementation of 8 GEPs;
• Replication actions for exploitation of project results, including local workshops, one EURAXESS webinar, video interviews, policy briefs, position papers, and high-level policy events;
• Evidence-based policy recommendations to foster gender equality strategies for research excellence and in smaller, younger or remote performing organisations.
The implementation of the ATHENA GEPs was executed thanks to a strategic commitment of high-level management levels of all the involved organisations and promoted real institutional changes while drawing on the project’s hands-on-experience to influence policy and practice across Europe’s research and innovation ecosystems.
All these achievements mark a major step forward. Yet the journey continues, especially in sustaining these gains within smaller, younger, and more remote “ATHENAtype” organisations, and in deepening partners’ commitment to gender and diversity through an intersectional approach.