The main obstacles faced by higher education and research institutions in implementing gender equality plans include the lack of dedicated financial resources, staffing limitations, and insufficient awareness of gender equality issues within the academic community.
GEPs promote innovation and job satisfaction
The push to implement GEPs has been driven by the European Union. The Horizon Europe framework program significantly reinforced the role of gender equality in scientific research and innovation. GEPs are designed to help institutions become more inclusive and improve the gender balance in representation. The EU places particular importance on structural changes in research and innovation institutions, as these are key to achieving scientific excellence.
‘The National Information Processing Institute implemented a Gender Equality Plan a few years ago to strengthen efforts to make the institute a safe space free of discrimination,’ said Dr Jarosław Protasiewicz, Head of OPI PIB. ‘Since 2022, public research institutions are required to have a GEP in place to participate in Horizon Europe-funded projects. Our study for the Ministry of Science and Higher Education shows that many institutions, especially private ones, still haven’t adopted such plans. The best results are found in research institutes – 65% of them have developed GEPs,’ he added.
183 institutions in the science sector have GEPs
The OPI PIB report describes the implementation of GEPs in entities within the Polish higher education and science system. It presents their scope, format, and the practical steps taken to support gender balance in these institutions.
Out of the 534 institutions surveyed, 183 (34%) have Gender Equality Plans, which are most common in research institutes (110, or 65%) and public universities (63, or 47%), while only 9 (4%) private universities have implemented such plans. Most GEPs were developed in Polish (53%), 6% were prepared exclusively in English, and 41% of institutions provide bilingual versions.
Most Gender Equality Plans meet the eligibility criteria for participation in the Horizon Europe program. As many as 98% of the plans are published on the institutions’ websites. At the same time, 90% of organizations declare that they allocate resources for implementing the activities outlined in the plans. Data on employment by gender are collected by 94% of institutions. Topics related to organizing training on gender equality and unconscious bias are included in 82% of the documents.
81% of respondents responsible for gender equality are women
During the study, OPI PIB researchers also gathered opinions from individuals responsible for implementing GEPs in higher education and research institutions.
‘Our survey was completed by representatives of 75% of institutions with Gender Equality Plans, and the dominant group among them were women, who constituted 81%. Most of the respondents were aged between 40 and 49 (54%) and held academic degrees or titles (59%),’ says Dr Anna Knapińska, assistant professor in the Data Science team at OPI PIB.
‘In science and higher education institutions, tasks related to the implementation of Gender Equality Plans are usually assigned to administrative staff (42%) or scientific staff (36%). At universities, dedicated positions for equality are established more commonly (42%), whereas in scientific institutes they are far less popular (17%),’ adds Dr Knapińska.
Respondents were also asked to assess the progress of their GEP objectives. An impressive 88% expressed confidence that all planned goals would be achieved. Additionally, nearly 80% gave positive assessments of gender equality levels in their institutions. While this may suggest that GEPs are already having a positive impact, it could also indicate a limited understanding of what gender equality truly entails. It is important to emphasize the need for continued monitoring and evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of GEPs and their alignment with institutional needs. The OPI PIB study highlights both successes and challenges in implementing GEPs at scientific institutions in Poland. Increased awareness of gender issues and the positive impact of GEPs on institutional image are clear achievements. However, for these efforts to result in lasting and meaningful change, systemic support for skills development and active involvement of leadership is essential. Only then will GEPs become a real tool for building a more inclusive and equitable academic environment in Poland.
The report was developed by the OPI PIB research team:
Dr Anna Knapińska, Zuzanna Borawska, Marta Czarnocka-Cieciura, Dr Gabriela Dzięgiel-Fivet, Katarzyna Pyrtek, and Paulina Urban
Link to the report
https://radon.nauka.gov.pl/analizy/plany-rownosci-plci-w-instytucjach-naukowych-w-Polsce