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SWGGRI on Advancing Gender Equality in ERA

3.12.2018

ERAC Standing Working Group on Gender in Research and Innovation released a Report on the implementation of Council Conclusions of 1 December 2015 on Advancing Gender Equality in the European Research Area.

The survey on implementation of the CC reveals important differences among EU-15, EU-13 and Associate Countries as well as between Strong Innovators and Innovation Leaders on the one hand and Moderate and Modest Innovators on the other, in the degree to which policies and actions to advance gender equality in in the ERA are implemented. This difference is also visible in the correlation that exists between the 2018 EU Innovation Scoreboard and the 2017 Gender Equality Index, showing a high degree of positive correlation between the EU Innovation Scoreboard and Gender Equality Index.

 

The report recommends how to proceed further:
  • Actions to promote gender equality in research, innovation and higher education must be stepped up in the EU, particularly in the EU-13 countries which show marked differences compared to the EU-15 countries and Associate Countries.
  • The more active countries in the EU-15 are encouraged to improve the effectiveness of the gender equality policies and actions in place, with robust policy monitoring and evaluation.
  • The European Research Area should continue, with gender equality and gender mainstreaming as a cross-cutting as well as self-standing priority. Concrete indicators should be defined for the of gender equality priority.
  • The Priority 4 roadmaps should be reviewed and reinforced in the ERA National Actions Plans and Strategies as these have proven to be a useful instrument, particularly in the less active countries.
  • Member States are strongly encouraged to seek ways to provide financial incentives at national level for promoting institutional change through gender equality plans.
  • The Strengthening the ERA part of Horizon Europe should reflect these findings in terms of increasing the budget for Research and Innovation Systems and considering, where possible, incentives for the EU-13 countries to implement gender equality in the Widening part of the programme.ERAC is invited to make use of the Policy Support Facility, specifically a Mutual Learning
  • Exercise (MLE), with a view to exchange good practice on policy design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in gender equality in research and innovation.
  • Upco ming Council Presidencies, in particular the Finnish Presidency given the 20th anniversary of EU actions to advance gender equality in research and innovation, are invited to reflect these findings in relevant presidency activities.

Download the report here (in PDF).