The University of Warwick has become a founding member of a new international consortium focused on gender equality led by the University of Bologna. The new partnership will develop, implement and evaluate gender equality plans tailored for each research organization involved in the project. The project has just been launched at a special conference at the University of Bologna.

 

"PLOTINA: Promoting Gender Balance and Inclusion in Research, Innovation and Training” partnership will encourage its members to: create tools to promote the career-development of researchers, especially of women, so that talent is not wasted; correcting gender inequalities in decision-making processes; and integrating gender/sex variables in programs and research projects to foster excellence.

 

The project, coordinated by Professor Tullia Gallina Toschi (University of Bologna), is focused on the careers of women researchers and gender equality. Dr. Charikleia Tzanakou (PAIS) and Professor Alison Rodger (Chemistry) will lead the partnership’s work at the University of Warwick. For more information on the project: www.warwick.ac.uk/plotina

The project will involve decision makers and stakeholders within each academic community, including governing bodies (such as Vice-Chancellors, Rector, Senates, and Board of Directors), Department/School Heads, Faculty Heads, academic and administrative staff, postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates. Undergraduate students will be indirect stakeholders of the project activities and results.

The tools developed by PLOTINA will be made available on an open-source project platform so that Research Organizations and Higher Education Institutions outside core partnership will also be able to use the project’s ideas and tools to address the same issue in their own contexts.

Professor Alison Rodger said:

“This project will significantly contribute to the achievement of ERA (European Research Area) gender equality targets, therefore increasing productivity and giving value to social innovation. In the academic context, which it specifically targets, PLOTINA will contribute to the diffusion of cultural change based on developing inclusive workplaces that respect diversity.”

The consortium represents the range of European RPOs, as well as the multiplicity of European social and cultural environments. The consortium includes the following organizations: University of Bologna (Italy), University of Warwick (United Kingdom), Mondragon Unibertsitatea (Spain), Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao (Portugal), Kemijski Institut (Slovenia), Ozyegin Universitesi (Turkey), Zentrum fur Soziale Innovation GMBH (Austria), Jump Forum (Belgium), Centro Studi Progetto Donna e Diversity MGMT (Italy), and Elhuyar-Zubize SL (Spain).

For further information please contact:

 

Charikleia Tzanakou: Charikleia.Tzanakou@warwick.ac.uk

Or

Professor Alison Rodger, Head of Department of Chemistry, Tel: 024 76574696, University of Warwick

Or

Peter Dunn, Director of Press and Policy, University of Warwick, Tel UK: 024 76523708 office, 07767 655860 mobile

Tel Overseas: +44 (0)24 76523708 office, +44 (0)7767 655860 mobile/cell, Email p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk

PR200 22^nd April 2016

Further Information:

Charikleia Tzanakou: Charikleia.Tzanakou@warwick.ac.uk

Or

Professor Alison Rodger

Head of Department of Chemistry

Tel: 024 76574696

University of Warwick

Or

Peter Dunn, Director of Press and Policy

University of Warwick

Tel UK 024 76523708 office

07767 655860 mobile

Tel Overseas:

+44 (0)24 76523708 office

+44 (0)7767 655860 mobile/cell

Email p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk

Twitter @peterjdunn