Latest NEWS

• January 2012 Congratulations to The University of Tromsø, awarded Norway's Gender Equality Prize for 2011. According to the Ministry of Education and Research "Gender equality work at the University of Tromsø is clearly a prestige project for the university leadership, which sees gender balance as a prerequisite for success." Tromsø has worked closely with genSET since the project started in 2009, Pro Rector for Research & Development Curt Rice was a member of the Science Leaders Panel which wrote the Recommendations for Action on the Gender Dimension in Science consensus report and had been a valued support since. Read more about the prize and how Tromsø achieved it on Curt Rice's blog.
  
  
• January 2012 genSET Partner, The Science Shop Vienna, is organising web conferences (webinars) on gender-fair recruitment and retention with renowned experts, taking place in January and February 2012. The target group of the events are research institutions in Europe. Targeted participants are persons responsible for implementing gender equality policies. The events offer:
  * exchange of experiences and ideas among those advocating gender equity at their different research organisations,
  * reflection of gender policies and guidelines in respect to potential impact and feasibility, and
  * support by highly qualified gender experts responding to participants individual requests on specific topics.
  You can participate in the webinars without leaving your workplace and without having to install additional software.
  For the events the Science Shop Vienna uses a simple free web conferencing system, Flashmeeting. For those who do not know it all, free orientation sessions of about 15 minutes are offered. Further information is available at http://wilawien.ac.at/genset/. The next webinar is: 20 January 2012, 10 - 12 (CET): Knowing and Living in Academic Research with Prof Ulrike Felt, professor of social studies of science since1999 and head of the STS department at the University of Vienna.
  In her presentation she will focus on changes in the science cultures and the gender aspects of these changes.

• December 2011 On the 16th December 2011, Dr Elizabeth Pollitzer, director of Portia (genSET coordinator) presented the Manifesto for Integrated Action on the Gender Dimension in Research and Innovation to Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research, Innovation & Science. The Manifesto is the result of the public consultation launched by genSET in conjunction with the 1st European Gender Summit.  It summarizes the views of over 300 individuals working in the European science system who responded with recommendations on how to enhance research and innovation by addressing gender equality issues. We would like to thank all those who have already formally signed the document and would invite others to add their name to the signatories list. With the proposed framework for Horizon 2020 yet to be approved by the European Council and Parliament, it is most timely to demonstrate that Article 15, which states that:  Horizon 2020 shall ensure the effective promotion of gender equality and the gender dimension in research and innovation content, has the support of a large and committed constituency made up of scientists, policy and decision makers, and gender research scholars.

• December 2011 The Manifesto for Integrated Action on the Gender Dimension in Research and Innovation is out now and ready for you to sign! You can read the text of the manifesto and sign up today via the EGS2011 website. Thank you to all those who completed the public consultation, discussed the results at the EGS2011 and gave their feedback on the document. Please lend your support today by signing the petition.
  
  
• November 2011 The European Gender Summit 2011 was a great success, attracting 400 participants and 70 speakers from across sectors and disciplines. The event has received excellent feedback and our thanks from genSET for the all the contributions from attendees as well as COST and the ESF Conference Unit, our co-convenors. Watch the keynotes here. More materials from the event are available on the EGS2011 website.
  
  
• November 2011 Expert Report to the European Commission "Structural change in research institutions: enhancing excellence, gender equality and efficiency in research and innovation". Based on recent scientific findings and research practices, this report provides the analysis needed to take action and points to good practices in research institutions which attract and promote women in research and innovation. You can download the report here

• October 2011 The Preliminary Results of the Public Consultation on the Future of Gender and Innovation in Europe are out now. Out thanks go to the 300+ individuals and organisations that contributed their views. The preliminary analysis of the results will form the basis of the Policy Manifesto, which will be discussed and refined at the European Gender Summit for presentation to the European Commission.
  
  
  
  
• October 2011 The Gendered Innovations in Science, Health & Medicine, and Engineering Project launches November 1, 2011 at: genderedinnovations.eu
  The Gendered Innovations project: 1) develops practical methods of sex and gender analysis for scientists and engineers; 2) provides case studies as concrete illustrations of how sex and gender analysis leads to innovation. It is crucially important to identify gender bias and understand how it operates in science and technology. But analysis cannot stop there: Analyzing sex and gender prospectively can serve as a resource to stimulate new knowledge and technologies. From the start, sex and gender analyses act as “controls” (or filters for bias) to provide excellence in science, health & medicine, and engineering research, policy, and practice. Read more on the news page
  

• October 2011 Gender Dimensions in European Research. Good Practice from Framework 7 and Future Outlook Wednesday, 16  November 2011, FFG - Austrian Research Promotion Agency The conference focuses on “gender dimensions in science and research” at the European level. During the last years several studies and research were carried out within the Science and Society-Programme. What happened? What kind of strategies towards gender equality were pursued? Do more women take part in EU-funded projects, are there more female project coordinators? Are gender-related perspectives implemented within the projects? What kind of part do approaches towards gender equality play within the discussion concerning HORIZON 2020? These and other questions will be discussed with coordinators of EU-funded projects, representatives of European Commission and interested researchers and stakeholders. Working language will be English. Elizabeth Pollitzer, genSET partner, will be presenting some lessons learnt from genSET and outcomes of the European Gender Summit at the session.

• October 2011 Quo vadis gender in EU funding? 17 November, Berlin The contact point women into EU research (part of the EU Bureau of the German Ministry of Education and Research) is organising an event that will provide stakeholders and policymakers with a stocktaking of the EU's gender commitment in research funding thus far. Speakers will highlight different aspects, initiatives and developments in the field. Based on recommendations of the status quo and in the light of the new programme Horizon 2020 to be launched in 2014, the (potential) future of gender in EU research funding will also be discussed. A concluding panel discussion with actors from national and EU policy, science, and key players of women in science will allow for an exchange of expert views. 90% of this event will be held in German. Find out more on their website

• October 2011 Yellow Window Consultants are holding Gender in Research training days are available on a variety of dates across Europe, currently in Italy, Austria and Portugal. The toolkit and training packages give the research community practical tools to integrate gender aspects into FP7 research, including equal opportunities for women and men AND the gender dimension of research, thereby contributing to excellence in research. Go to their calendar to find out when one might be near you or how to contact Yellow Window to explore arranging one in your country. There is more information on the project, training and how to get involved on the news page.

• September 2011 Public Consultation on the Future of Gender & Innovation in Europe Closes OCT 1 All stakeholders in European science and innovation are invited to participate in the Public Consultation on the Future of Gender and Innovation in Europe. Following the public response to the EC Green Paper "From Challenges to Opportunities: Towards a Common Strategic Framework for EU Research and Innovation Funding”, genSET has launched a complementary, in-depth consultation focusing on the role of the gender dimension in future research and innovation. This consultation will contribute important evidence and understanding of how Europe can benefit from more effective mainstreaming of the gender dimension in research, innovation and in the scientific systems. The results of the consultation will be published on these pages and will be discussed at the European Gender Summit in Brussels on 8-9 November. Together with the onsite discussions, the consultation responses will feed into the policy manifesto on "Integrated Action on the Gender Dimension in Research".
  
  
• September 2011 Mr Chichester, Vice-President of the European Parliament and responsible for STOA has agreed that the European Gender Summit  will take place under his patronage. The STOA Brief: the Assessment of Scientific and Technological Policy Options for the European Parliament. STOA is an official organ of the European Parliament, but its work is carried out in partnership with external experts. These can be research institutes, universities, laboratories, consultancies or individual researchers contracted to help prepare specific projects. STOA increasingly focuses upon round-table expert discussions, conferences and workshops with associated or consequent studies. Members of Parliament and invited experts from EU institutions, international institutions, universities, specialist institutes, academies and other sources of expertise worldwide jointly participate in the analysis of current issues at these events.
  

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