The meeting kicked off with Sabine Oertelt-Prigione of Radboud University, who presented the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality in research and innovation. The presentation delved into the pandemic's effects on academic practices, productivity, early career researchers, and various gender-related factors. Afterwards, participants shared their experiences and insights during an open discussion. The following session, led by Anne Pepin, Team Leader of the Gender Sector at the Directorate-General Research and Innovation (DG RTD) focused on Gender Equality Plans and updates from the ERA Action 5 sub-group activities.
The second day started with a short discussion on the state of play of the role of gender in EU research and innovation. Militia Antic Gaber of Ljubljana University and Rachel Palmen (INSPIRE Project Leader) then presented "Inspire Equality: The European Center of Excellence on inclusive gender equality in R&I", a Horizon Europe-funded project focused on sustaining and deepening change, innovation, widening participation, and intersectionality.
Next, Nina Krebs of Vienna University explored the new approach of work-(self-)care reconciliation, and the complex road towards achieving work-life balance, including the self-care element in this complex situation. The session was followed by a presentation by Elly McCausland from Gent University on innovative pedagogy, highlighting the benefits of incorporating popular culture into English literature, using examples from her course based on Taylor Swift’s lyrics.
The second part of the day featured Charlotte Morris from Portsmouth University addressing the critical issue of gender inequality and precarity, particularly the gendered impact of precarity in academia. The meeting concluded with Georgiana Curea of The Guild, delivering policy updates and outlining the next steps for the working group.
The Guild Gender and Diversity Working Group meeting outlined our shared dedication to fostering positive change in the field of gender and diversity in academia. As the discussions and initiatives gain momentum, The Guild universities continue their commitment to advocate for inclusivity, gender equality, and diversity in academia.
