Name of the project: ATHENA
Programme: Horizon 2020
Duration: 1.2.2021 – 31.7.2025
Website: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101006416
The ATHENA project aims at supporting consortium partners, which include 6 Research Performing Organisations (RPOs), and 2 Research Funding Organisations (RFOs), in the development and implementation of Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) as a way to generate systemic institutional changes.
Therefore, the project focuses on 8 research organisations and universities and research funding organizations of selected EU Central-Eastern countries and outermost regions, which appear to be lagging behind EU trend with respect to the goals of removing barriers to the recruitment, retention and career progression of female researchers; address gender imbalances in decision making processes; generate a cultural change needed to avoid future gender bias and discriminatory practices. The implementation of the GEPs will generate a sustainable cultural and institutional change which in turns will allow to unlock the research potential of the partnering organisations.
THE RESULT: The Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) has received the Newcomer Gender Equality Champion Award for its Gender Equality Plan, adopted in 2022. The project plan has successfully introduced concrete measures and a framework to prevent gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and bullying.
The award reflects the institute’s long-term commitment to diversity, inclusion, and interdisciplinary, further strengthened through the ATHENA project. The project has created a safer and more inclusive working environment in order to allow researchers to focus on their core mission of scientific excellence.
The European Commission created the Gender Equality Champions Award to promote gender equality in research and innovation across the EU. This year’s recipients also include Bielefeld University, the Open University of Catalonia, Charles University in Prague, and University College Cork.
Partners:
- CONSULTA EUROPA PROJECTS AND INNOVATION SL ES
- INSTITUT JOZEF STEFAN SI
- UNIWERSYTET JANA KOCHANOWSKIEGO W KIELCACH PL
- UNIVERSITATEA DIN BUCURESTI RO
- UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA ES
- CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE IT
- USTAV VYSKUMU SOCIALNEJ KOMUNIKACIE SLOVENSKEJ AKADEMIE VIED SK
- UNIVERSITY OF RUSE ANGEL KANCHEV BG
- GOBIERNO DE CANARIAS ES
- FUNDO REGIONAL PARA A CIENCIA E TECNOLOGIA PT
