GENDER EQUALITY PLAN

On 28 June 2022 the University of Lodz adopted the first Gender Equality Plan. GEP is a formal requirement of the European Commission for public institutions, research units and universities from the European Union Member States and associated countries that apply for research funding from the European Union.

GEP adopted at the University of Lodz, which constitutes an eligibility criterion in the Horizon Europe Programme, will guarantee the possibility of signing grant agreements and the implementation of projects in accordance with the requirements of the European Commission in this respect.

The Gender Equality Plan has been developed in line with the officially approved in 2021 strategy of the University of Lodz (for the years 2021–2030). This document generally addresses the need to build academic unity on the basis of equality and diversity.

The task of the Gender Equality Plan (GEP) – covering the years 2022-2024 – is to promote, monitor and assess equality and diversity within the academic community, as well as to incorporate these issues into the basic principles of the University of Lodz operation.

The main goals of the GEP include:

Indicating the areas in which the University of Lodz has already made efforts to promote equality and diversity.
Pointing the most important challenges related to the equality and diversity at the University of Lodz, outlining a plan for overcoming these challenges.
Proposing solutions and activities that will enable identification, assessment, monitoring and prevention of these issues.
Engaging key stakeholders from across the academic community.
Introducing appropriate rules of conduct and practices that will promote equality and diversity, and contribute to the improvement of equal treatment of all people working and studying at the university.
Taking actions leading to equality in various areas of social life by developing mechanisms to prevent discrimination based on gender, age, sexual identity, race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, disability, economic status, etc.
Raising awareness among the academic community of the importance of equality and diversity by organising information and educational campaigns and various training, as well as by developing the scope of activities devoted to this issue.

GEP has been developed as part of the Redesigning Equality and Scientific Excellence Together (RESET) project financed by the Horizon 2020 Programme with the participation of the University of Lodz Gender Equality Board

RESET - REDESIGNING EQUALITY AND SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE TOGETHER

RESET is a project financed by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 programme. RESET engages seven large multidisciplinary universities from all over Europe (University of Bordeaux, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Lodz, University of Porto, Ruhr-University Bochum, University of Oulu, Sciences Po Paris) and aims to address the challenge of gender equality in research institutions in a diversity perspective, to design and implement a user-centred, impact-driven and inclusive vision of scientific excellence.

RESET focuses on activities enabling real equalisation of opportunities for women and men in research institutions. The aim of the project is to create space within which researchers will be able to fully realise their scientific and organisational potential. RESET uses an intersectional approach to the concept of gender equality and aims to address the challenge of gender equality in research institutions in a diversity perspective, with the objective to design and implement a user-centred, impact-driven and inclusive vision of scientific excellence.

RESET kicked off in January 2021 and is planned to be completed by December 2024.

Within the RESET project, the University of Lodz:

appointed the Gender Equality Board to promote and monitor equality in academia,
developed the Gender Equality Plan, the objective of which is to promote, monitor and assess equality and diversity within the academic community, as well as incorporate these issues into the basic principles of the University of Lodz operation,
launched the Faces of Campus campaign to highlight the role of people who contribute to university scientific excellence and who are very often less visible in research processes.

GENDER EQUALITY BOARD

ABOUT THE BOARD

Gender Equality Board is a structure that aims to promote and monitor equality in the academia. Its appointment is related to the University of Lodz joining the Redesigning Equality and Scientific Excellence Together (RESET) project. Its objective is to facilitate the introduction of appropriate procedures and changes at the University of Lodz, while supporting the definition of equality activities leading to the institutionalisation of the university's anti-discrimination policy, the application of which will exceed the time frame of the project.

The Gender Equality Board started functioning on the date of its establishment (23 February 2021) and will operate in this form until 31 December 2024.

CHAIRPERSON OF THE COUNCIL

Prof. Eleonora Bielawska-Batorowicz – Faculty of Educational Sciences, Rector's Representative for International Exchange Programmes

SECRETARY

Dr Aleksandra Różalska – Faculty of Philology, Head of the Women’s Studies Centre, Head of the RESET project at the University of Lodz

MEMBERS

Dr Izabela Desperak – Faculty of Economics and Sociology, Interdisciplinary Gender Seminar
Prof. Małgorzata Domagała – Faculty of Chemistry, representative of the Polish Teachers’ Union
Dr Anna Gutowska-Ciołek – Faculty of Educational Sciences, Rector's Representative for for the Disabled, Head of the Academic Support Centre Niepełnosprawnościami, kierowniczka Akademickiego Centrum Wsparcia
Prof. Joanna Jabłkowska – Dean of the Faculty of Philology
Dr Andrzej Kompa – Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and History
Prof. Inga Kuźma – Faculty of Philosophy and History, Manager of the Center of Social Innovations
Liliana Lato – Head of the International Relations Office
Prof. Anna Rakowska-Trela – Faculty of Law and Administration
Dr Marek Wojtaszek – Faculty of International and Political Studies
Dr Kaja Zapędowska-Kling – Faculty of International and Political Studies
Bartłomiej Józefowicz – Representative of the University Students' Government Council