The 10th meeting and get together of Strategies for Sustainable Gender Equality occurred in collaboration with the sister ACT Community of PracticeGEinCEE. Two presentations were proposed to the participants.
Ewelina Ciaputa (GEinCEE CoP Facilitator), Dr Ewa Krzaklewska (researcher in ACT project, local coordinator of ACT project), Dr Paulina Sekuła (GEinCEE CoP Facilitator) and Dr Marta Warat (researcher in ACT project) presented the presentation “The Challenges on GE and GEP in Central and Eastern Europe : The experience of GEinCEE CoP”. GEinCEE had as a main idea to create a CoP which reflects the situation in Central and Eastern Europe with the belief that in the area of Central and Eastern Europe, there exist diverse institutions with certain similarities. One of the common points shared was the notion of Europeanisation and the transitioning from the communist states, particularly in the period after the 90s, characterized by overcoming stagnation of communist period, struggling with underfunding and structural reforms. We were also able to find out more about the analysis of GE and GEP that was performed. Maps were created detailing measures and policies implemented in the institutions, as well as positions, commissions, committees, departments and divisions working on GE. The mapping also occurred by using 7 thematic areas in GE : raising awareness around GE, work-life balance, decision making and leadership, career progressions, integration of gender in research and Gender Based Violence and sexual harassment. Within Central and Eastern Europe, an estimated 10% of institutions are developing or implementing GE plans. The mere fact of connecting representatives of HEIs, RPOs and NGOs, officials and administrators, researchers, activists and students representing many academic disciplines with a focus on CEE is one of the most important outcomes. There are also three foci which provide directions for reflection and collaboration: i. Exchange on knowledge and expertise, ii. diagnosing situation and iii. promoting and supporting institutional change and advance gender equality. Our GEinCEE colleagues also presented the CoP communication policy, the meetings held and other relevant activities including carrying out the GEAM survey (for 12 out of the 19 participating institutions). The CoP provides a safe space for discussing issues of resistance or lack of support, for sharing good practices and for receiving multifaceted support.
Following this first presentation, Virginija Šidlauskienė contributed with the presentation “Distribution of Structural Change Projects’ in Research Organizations in EU and CEE Countries”. She argued that taking under consideration a number of structural changes that have occurred in the past decade in higher education and research organisations by implementing GEPs is extremely important all by taking under consideration the of structural changes that have occurred in the past decade in higher education and research organisations by implementing GEPs. She then presented an analysis of 37 EU funded projects on GEP from 2010 and 2020 in which Central and East European (CEE) countries were represented.