Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AGRIGEP (Assessment and implementation of Agriculture and Life Science Universities’ first Gender Equality Plans in widening countries)
Période du rapport: 2023-01-01 au 2023-12-31
Gender inequality is a major barrier in the research and innovation (R&I) area that limits the capabilities and capacities of research and higher education institutions. Although major efforts to reach Gender Equality (GE) in R&I have been made, there are still prominent inequalities within the EU, especially in the widening countries. Across the EU, the development of Gender Equality Plans (GEP) intends to address the problems at universities and research organisations; however, the variability in capability, capacity, and expertise hinders the efficient implementation of institutional GEPs. Additionally, there are specific GE issues within certain fields of study at research and education institutions. In this context, GE issues in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are well-known, and specific action plans have been developed in recent years. Within STEM, agriculture- and life-science-focused research-performing organisations (RPOs) face very similar problems, but they lack sector-specific measures and mitigation plans. Furthermore, in agriculture, a large GE sector-specific imbalance exists in developing countries where a relevant proportion of RPOs’ international students come from.
The reason why GE is important for agriculture is that women are the backbone of the rural economy, especially in developing countries. They make up almost half of the world’s farmers, and over the last few decades, they have broadened their involvement in agriculture.
Therefore, it is important that women are not under-represented in agricultural areas and consequently in education and research as well. The fundamental drivers of sustainability and economic growth are the people themselves. If only one gender is encouraged to participate in a sector, the talent pool is halved.
Therefore, the main goal of agriculture and life science focus universities is to become more gender-equal by increasing the number of female researchers, improving their career prospects, and integrating a gender dimension in research as well. The goal of the AGRIGEP project is to perform a sector-specific, responsible assessment and support the implementation of the first GEP of these universities with specific measures and sector-specific actions.
The AGRRIGEPS project, with the joint efforts of six consortium partners, aims to i) perform a responsible assessment of widening RPOs' current status on GEP implementation, ii) improve capabilities through intensive capacity building, and iii) develop and implement agriculture and life-science targeted GEP with sectorial specific measures and strategies. These results could lead to long-term institutional reforms. Additionally, this project will work to establish the inclusion of GE issues within the RPOs’ educational system and the professional training of their students. To reach these goals and the project objectives, advanced partner institutions that are specialised in GE will mentor and help with the assessment and capacity building of three widening country-origin universities. The realisation of these objectives and the implementation of inclusive GEPs will enhance the inclusiveness, reputation, attractiveness, and research excellence of widening country RPOs. Moreover, it will promote the transformation of institutions and advance GE within the European Research Area (ERA) as well.
The reason why GE is important for agriculture is that women are the backbone of the rural economy, especially in developing countries. They make up almost half of the world’s farmers, and over the last few decades, they have broadened their involvement in agriculture.
Therefore, it is important that women are not under-represented in agricultural areas and consequently in education and research as well. The fundamental drivers of sustainability and economic growth are the people themselves. If only one gender is encouraged to participate in a sector, the talent pool is halved.
Therefore, the main goal of agriculture and life science focus universities is to become more gender-equal by increasing the number of female researchers, improving their career prospects, and integrating a gender dimension in research as well. The goal of the AGRIGEP project is to perform a sector-specific, responsible assessment and support the implementation of the first GEP of these universities with specific measures and sector-specific actions.
The AGRRIGEPS project, with the joint efforts of six consortium partners, aims to i) perform a responsible assessment of widening RPOs' current status on GEP implementation, ii) improve capabilities through intensive capacity building, and iii) develop and implement agriculture and life-science targeted GEP with sectorial specific measures and strategies. These results could lead to long-term institutional reforms. Additionally, this project will work to establish the inclusion of GE issues within the RPOs’ educational system and the professional training of their students. To reach these goals and the project objectives, advanced partner institutions that are specialised in GE will mentor and help with the assessment and capacity building of three widening country-origin universities. The realisation of these objectives and the implementation of inclusive GEPs will enhance the inclusiveness, reputation, attractiveness, and research excellence of widening country RPOs. Moreover, it will promote the transformation of institutions and advance GE within the European Research Area (ERA) as well.
Within the first year of the project implementation, the capacity assessment of widening RPOs was in focus – using the guidance of the mentors and the instruments developed in previous projects. The capacity-building phase also started through intensive training, mentoring, and on-site visits by the mentoring organisations. The project will build on the results and lessons learned from previous GE-STEM projects. The next phase will focus on building capacity and skills development to support institutional GEP implementation and transformation.
In summary, the following project results were achieved during the RP1:
• Project roadmap was defined, finetuned, and approved at the Kick-off meeting. Supporting documentation and tools were developed and shared with partners (D1.1; MS1; MS2).
• Project platforms were established both for efficient internal (project data site, SharePoint, mailing lists) and external communication, networking, and support dissemination (project website, social media channels, subscription for newsletters, connection with sister projects, connecting stakeholders) (D2.1; MS3).
• Skills and knowledge transfer webinars, training, and mentoring were started through specific WPs (WP3, WP4).
• Education materials for RPOs’ staff and students were started to be developed based on the needs of widening RPOs, using the results of the assessment exercise (WP4; D3.1).
• Publications (Fact sheets, newsletter, flyer, press releases) were published on project sites and open access Zenodo platform, targeting both scientific and public, and preparation of scientific papers is in progress (MS3; D2.1; D2.2).
• Stakeholder mapping of RPOs’ was completed to assess their current network, identify potential new stakeholders, and identify actions to improve it. This will increase the visibility and the long-term impact of the project (WP2; MS5).
• A Policy Brief was developed on the topic of “Implementing Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) in Higher Education and Research in widening countries: The case of agriculture & life sciences” which will be spread after EC approval. (D1.5)
In summary, the following project results were achieved during the RP1:
• Project roadmap was defined, finetuned, and approved at the Kick-off meeting. Supporting documentation and tools were developed and shared with partners (D1.1; MS1; MS2).
• Project platforms were established both for efficient internal (project data site, SharePoint, mailing lists) and external communication, networking, and support dissemination (project website, social media channels, subscription for newsletters, connection with sister projects, connecting stakeholders) (D2.1; MS3).
• Skills and knowledge transfer webinars, training, and mentoring were started through specific WPs (WP3, WP4).
• Education materials for RPOs’ staff and students were started to be developed based on the needs of widening RPOs, using the results of the assessment exercise (WP4; D3.1).
• Publications (Fact sheets, newsletter, flyer, press releases) were published on project sites and open access Zenodo platform, targeting both scientific and public, and preparation of scientific papers is in progress (MS3; D2.1; D2.2).
• Stakeholder mapping of RPOs’ was completed to assess their current network, identify potential new stakeholders, and identify actions to improve it. This will increase the visibility and the long-term impact of the project (WP2; MS5).
• A Policy Brief was developed on the topic of “Implementing Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) in Higher Education and Research in widening countries: The case of agriculture & life sciences” which will be spread after EC approval. (D1.5)
At the end of the first year of the project talking about results which would goo beyond the state of the art are too early. In addressing the complex and multifaceted challenge of institutional change towards gender equality, it is crucial to recognise that such transformation is inherently a form of social change. This type of change is a long-term endeavour, deeply rooted in evolving societal norms, values, and institutional practices. Given the extended timeline and the intricate nature of these shifts, it is premature to assert a definitive 'impact'. Instead, the focus is on the tangible outcomes that partners are actively working towards, primarily the enhancement of capabilities within the partner institutions. These capabilities are fundamental in facilitating and sustaining the change process. They represent the initial, yet critical steps in the journey towards achieving gender equality, setting the groundwork for more profound and lasting impacts in the future.