News
The Higher Education (HEA) Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, hosted the first HEA National Equality, Diversity and Inclusion conference on the 9th and 10th of April 2024 in Dublin, Ireland. Approximately 150 colleagues involved in equality, diversity and inclusion in the Irish higher education sector were in attendance to hear from national and international experts across the two days. Speakers and panels discussed advancing gender equality, advancing intersectional approaches to EDI, advancing race equality and ending sexual violence and harassment. The HEA was delighted to have the participation of our GENDERACTIONplus colleagues in sessions across the two days, alongside colleagues from INSPIRE and the OECD, highlighting international perspectives on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Estonian Research Council continued discussions on gender equality issues in R&I with the main national stakeholders, including the Ministry of Science and Education, Commissioner for Equal Opportunities, Estonian Business and Innovation Agency, Department of Equality Policy at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication. The goal is to agree on the next steps for defining clearer roles and distributing responsibilities at the national level. To this end, a seminar was organised in April for the main stakeholders on the topic of national frameworks for GEPs with the support of the GENDERACTIONplus European Gender Equality Taskforce.
On Friday 31 May 2024, the Council for Science, Research and Innovation (RRI) in the Czech Republic, chaired by the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation Marek Ženíšek, approved a proposal of the Return Grants projects submitted by the Czech Science Foundation . The Return Grants are intended for researchers after a career break due to caring for a child (or another family member). The aim is to facilitate a return to a research career and the reconciliation of personal and professional life.
Also in the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports adopted the 2024 Strategic Plan for Higher Education Institutions and its Implementation Plan. Included in this plan is the Ministry’s support for the development of a system for ensuring social safety and other topics related to the broader issue of wellbeing and the protection of the rights of students and staff at HEIs, including the establishment of the role of ombudspersons.