Policy Briefs & Recommendations

Policy Brief (2023)
Advancing Gender Equality in R&I

Published under Deliverable 6.7: Policy Brief for Feedback to the European Commission – 1, ATHENA’s first brief outlines three core areas for policy intervention:

· Promoting Gender Equality in the European Research Area (ERA)
Recommendations include increasing gender diversity in research teams, evaluation panels, and decision-making bodies to boost innovation and ensure fair representation.

· Strengthening Gender Equality in Funding Programmes
Building on Horizon Europe’s momentum, the brief advocates for continued gender mainstreaming in future EU funding frameworks, ensuring that inclusivity is a strategic priority.

· Empowering RPOs and RFOs through Tailored GEPs
Using tools like the ATHENA Toolkit, institutions are encouraged to move beyond formal compliance, embedding gender equality through strong leadership, training, and continuous monitoring.

Policy Brief #1 (2025)
Measuring Success – Gender Equality as a Performance Driver in Research

This brief highlights the direct link between gender equality and research excellence. Its central messages are:

1) Raising Awareness
Policymakers and research leaders must recognize that diverse, inclusive environments foster better science and more creative solutions.

2) Data-Driven Progress
Institutions need to systematically collect, monitor, and analyse gender-disaggregated data to measure GEP effectiveness and inform strategic decisions.

The brief positions gender equality not as a compliance task, but as a performance driver that enhances institutional competitiveness and impact.

Policy Brief #2 (2025)
Strategies for Smaller, Younger, and Remote Institutions

Many smaller or remote universities and RPOs face unique structural and cultural challenges in advancing gender equality — ranging from geographical isolation and limited funding to institutional capacity constraints. This policy brief offers tailored strategies to:

· Integrate gender equality into core institutional strategies.

· Build internal capacity through networking, peer learning, and mentoring.

· Encourage national and European policies to provide dedicated support and context-sensitive frameworks.

These insights aim to level the playing field, ensuring no institution is left behind in the ERA’s transformation towards gender equality.