Project description
Empowering female research talent through a gender equality infrastructure
Statistics and academic literature show that despite the continuous efforts to advance gender equality in academia and in research over the last two decades, there is still much work to be done. To address this challenge, the EU-funded ATHENA project will focus on the implementation of Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) in six research performing and two research funding organisations. ATHENA will seek to eliminate the existing obstacles to the recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers and to address gender imbalances in decision-making processes. The project aspires to contribute to the required comprehensive cultural change for the avoidance of future gender bias and discriminatory practices.
Objective
One of the main objectives of Europe’s societies is the elimination of all types of discrimination associated with gender. Despite a high number of highly skilled female graduates, there is still very few of them embracing a research career. With almost 60% of women graduates in EU, only one third of the EU’s researchers are women. In this context, ATHENA project aims at removing barriers to the recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers; address gender imbalances in decision making processes and generate a cultural change needed to avoid future gender bias and discriminatory practices through the implementation of Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) in 6 Research Performing and 2 Research Funding organisations. These targeted organisations belong to Central Eastern EU countries and EU outermost regions that show some of the lowest Gender Equality Indexes in the EU. Thanks to the implementation of the GEPs, ATHENA will contribute to unlocking the research potential of these organisations thus improving the overall performance of the European Research Area and helping to close the innovation divide by avoiding the waste of talent and inefficient use of skilled women from weaker regions of the EU. To ensure systemic institutional change, ATHENA will first conduct an assessment of procedures and practices already in place in partner RPOs and RFOs, together with an analysis of the national legislation and policy frameworks. In parallel, it will put in place a participatory process aimed, on one side, to understand the needs and the preferences of the stakeholders and, on the other side, to train them with regard to selected topics related to gender. Based on these two approaches GEPs will be drafted, implemented and monitored in each partner organisation.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.5.b. - Promote gender equality in particular by supporting structural change in the organisation of research institutions and in the content and design of research activities
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.5.f. - Develop the governance for the advancement of responsible research and innovation by all stakeholders, which is sensitive to society needs and demands and promote an ethics framework for research and innovation
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
CSA - Coordination and support action
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-SwafS-2018-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
35006 LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA
Spain
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.