Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SUPERA (Supporting the Promotion of Equality in Research and Academia)
Reporting period: 2020-12-01 to 2022-05-31
Still today, the way scientific knowledge is produced, applied and translated to the society is not free from the global and structural system that produces gender inequalities by organising men and women in hierarchically different roles. Universities and Research Funding Organisations reproduce those inequalities, activities and ways of functioning. Evidence shows that research performance is limited by the perpetuation of direct and indirect sex and gender biases and discrimination and that promoting gender equality contributes to achieving excellence and efficiency.
The European Structural Change approach aims at removing the obstacles to gender equality that are inherent in the research system itself, and at adapting institutional practices. In the specific context of research organisations and higher education institutions, the European Commission considers Gender Equality Plans as key tools for structural change to articulate a strategic view for achieving gender equality.
Research organisations and Higher Education institutions have a crucially important role to play in addressing gender inequality, not only for the benefit of their own ecosystem, but to contribute to progress in wider society, as they are a reference for educating and guiding citizenship.
The main aim of the SUPERA project was to implement six Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) to articulate a structural understanding of gender inequalities, stereotypes and biases in research. Through a holistic set of measures, gender equality is conceived as a cross-cutting issue which should be tackled in its complex, multi-layered dimensions through these plans. The six GEPs have been approved throughout the project and they all continue to be implemented at the end of SUPERA in May 2022. The SUPERA Consortium consisted on two different types of organisations: 4 Universities as Research Performing Organisations (RPO) –Central European University, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidade de Coimbra, Università degli Studi di Cagliari- and 2 Research Funding Organisations (RFO) –Regione Autonoma della Sardegna and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
SUPERA addressed the following key areas:
Recruitment, selection and career progression
Leadership and decision-making.
Integrating gender in research and education content
Fighting against gender biases and stereotypes and sexual harassment.
The SUPERA main goal was divided into 5 specific objectives:
Specific Objective 1: Identify and tackle gender inequalities in SUPERA’s key areas and contribute to the inclusion of a gender perspective in research and in Higher Education Institutions.
Specific Objective 2: Review and adapt procedures and criteria used in public calls for Research, Development and Innovation and improve integration of the gender dimension in the to-be-funded proposals through the implementation of Gender Equality Plans in two RFOs.
Specific Objective 3: Tackle the complexity and multi-layered process of GEP implementation through innovative solutions and tools.
Specific Objective 4: Foster experience exchange and mutual learning between RPOs and RFOs.
Specific Objective 5: Contribute to the long-term sustainability of all developed initiatives in future scenarios within academia and research through the development of innovative gender mainstreaming structures
The European Structural Change approach aims at removing the obstacles to gender equality that are inherent in the research system itself, and at adapting institutional practices. In the specific context of research organisations and higher education institutions, the European Commission considers Gender Equality Plans as key tools for structural change to articulate a strategic view for achieving gender equality.
Research organisations and Higher Education institutions have a crucially important role to play in addressing gender inequality, not only for the benefit of their own ecosystem, but to contribute to progress in wider society, as they are a reference for educating and guiding citizenship.
The main aim of the SUPERA project was to implement six Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) to articulate a structural understanding of gender inequalities, stereotypes and biases in research. Through a holistic set of measures, gender equality is conceived as a cross-cutting issue which should be tackled in its complex, multi-layered dimensions through these plans. The six GEPs have been approved throughout the project and they all continue to be implemented at the end of SUPERA in May 2022. The SUPERA Consortium consisted on two different types of organisations: 4 Universities as Research Performing Organisations (RPO) –Central European University, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidade de Coimbra, Università degli Studi di Cagliari- and 2 Research Funding Organisations (RFO) –Regione Autonoma della Sardegna and Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
SUPERA addressed the following key areas:
Recruitment, selection and career progression
Leadership and decision-making.
Integrating gender in research and education content
Fighting against gender biases and stereotypes and sexual harassment.
The SUPERA main goal was divided into 5 specific objectives:
Specific Objective 1: Identify and tackle gender inequalities in SUPERA’s key areas and contribute to the inclusion of a gender perspective in research and in Higher Education Institutions.
Specific Objective 2: Review and adapt procedures and criteria used in public calls for Research, Development and Innovation and improve integration of the gender dimension in the to-be-funded proposals through the implementation of Gender Equality Plans in two RFOs.
Specific Objective 3: Tackle the complexity and multi-layered process of GEP implementation through innovative solutions and tools.
Specific Objective 4: Foster experience exchange and mutual learning between RPOs and RFOs.
Specific Objective 5: Contribute to the long-term sustainability of all developed initiatives in future scenarios within academia and research through the development of innovative gender mainstreaming structures
During the first 15 months of the project, the foundations of a coordination, management and mutual learning structure have been laid. As part of WP2, a Project Management Plan has been designed, and all relevant information uploaded in an online collaboration and storage system that ensures full compliance with Data Protection requirements. The Kick-Off Meeting and two Consortium Follow-Up Meetings were organised. These meetings have been prepared with participatory methodologies in order to be tipping points for knowing and understanding each partner’s changing context and for deepening consortium ownership and engagement feelings.
After the production of a common baseline of indicators (WP3), each partner has worked on the collection of their institutional data. This process has been a precious source of information for the institutional needs assessments reports and for the identification of topics which should be further analysed by each partner.
Further, training and capacity building have been key activities (WP4), providing tools and methodologies required for the design, implementation and evaluation of structural change processes. Also, the partners have seen SUPERA trainings as opportunities to engage institutional “allies” with the SUPERA project and its objectives, as well as key opportunities for team building within the consortium.
WP5 and WP6 have worked on the transition from the results of the institutional needs assessments to the design and implementation of Gender Equality Plans. The main efforts have been located on the establishment of gender mainstreaming support structures by each partner, via Gender Equality Hubs and Fab Labs.
Besides the continuous monitoring of activities within WP7, through participation in all meetings and development of SUPERA’s activities, along with monitoring and evaluation calls, the main output of this WP has been the development of the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. This approach has definitely enhanced and enriched partners’ evaluation culture and has helped to identify important windows of opportunities for change.
Throughout this first reporting period, designing a communication and dissemination plan has been a relevant effort towards defining the communication strategy, which has also set measurable communication objectives. SUPERA partners have participated and organised activities to raise awareness and to understand the importance of gender equality in research organisations and academia, not only internally but also on public activities and in collaboration with other H2020 structural change sister projects. Also, the project’s visual identity was created and the project website was launched
After the production of a common baseline of indicators (WP3), each partner has worked on the collection of their institutional data. This process has been a precious source of information for the institutional needs assessments reports and for the identification of topics which should be further analysed by each partner.
Further, training and capacity building have been key activities (WP4), providing tools and methodologies required for the design, implementation and evaluation of structural change processes. Also, the partners have seen SUPERA trainings as opportunities to engage institutional “allies” with the SUPERA project and its objectives, as well as key opportunities for team building within the consortium.
WP5 and WP6 have worked on the transition from the results of the institutional needs assessments to the design and implementation of Gender Equality Plans. The main efforts have been located on the establishment of gender mainstreaming support structures by each partner, via Gender Equality Hubs and Fab Labs.
Besides the continuous monitoring of activities within WP7, through participation in all meetings and development of SUPERA’s activities, along with monitoring and evaluation calls, the main output of this WP has been the development of the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. This approach has definitely enhanced and enriched partners’ evaluation culture and has helped to identify important windows of opportunities for change.
Throughout this first reporting period, designing a communication and dissemination plan has been a relevant effort towards defining the communication strategy, which has also set measurable communication objectives. SUPERA partners have participated and organised activities to raise awareness and to understand the importance of gender equality in research organisations and academia, not only internally but also on public activities and in collaboration with other H2020 structural change sister projects. Also, the project’s visual identity was created and the project website was launched
Throughout the 48 months of the SUPERA partners managed to deliver bold changes to their institutional structures and processes. Being the primary objective of the project, all designed and officially enacted far-reaching Gender Equality Plans over the course of SUPERA, addressing at least four of the five recommended areas of action.
Beyond the mere adoption of evidence-based, participatively-built Gender Equality Plans meeting or exceeding the new Horizon Europe standard, this also resulted in:
a) generating functional and innovative mainstreaming structures (in the form of Gender Equality Hubs contemplated in the project design and decentralised networks of gender focal persons);
b) gendering research evaluation and funding frameworks at regional and national levels;
c) designing and implementing gender- and diversity-sensitive communication instruments;
d) familiarising the community to co-designing evidence-based solutions through participatory method;
e) inspiring other RPOs and RFOs to embrace a gender equality agenda, through establishing networks in Italy (RAS) and Spain (AES-MCIN), securing resources for GEP implementation or expanding the GEP mandate through the EU regional funds framework (RAS) or stimulating a spin-off of SUPERA (UC).
Beyond the mere adoption of evidence-based, participatively-built Gender Equality Plans meeting or exceeding the new Horizon Europe standard, this also resulted in:
a) generating functional and innovative mainstreaming structures (in the form of Gender Equality Hubs contemplated in the project design and decentralised networks of gender focal persons);
b) gendering research evaluation and funding frameworks at regional and national levels;
c) designing and implementing gender- and diversity-sensitive communication instruments;
d) familiarising the community to co-designing evidence-based solutions through participatory method;
e) inspiring other RPOs and RFOs to embrace a gender equality agenda, through establishing networks in Italy (RAS) and Spain (AES-MCIN), securing resources for GEP implementation or expanding the GEP mandate through the EU regional funds framework (RAS) or stimulating a spin-off of SUPERA (UC).