TRansforming Institutions by Gendering contents and Gaining Equality in Research

TRIGGER aims at promoting systemic interventions designed to have deep, long lasting and widespread impacts at all the different levels in 5 research organisations. The project, coordinated and co-funded by the Italian Government, assisted by an institute specialised in gender and science, involves as co-funders five universities from different EU countries (Czech Republic, France, Italy, UK, Spain). Building on the results of earlier projects, integrated actions will be implemented at each university addressing different sides of gender inequality in science, i.e.: 1) Working environment, formal/informal culture and explicit/tacit rules (awareness-raising; collection of gender-sensitive data; support in the early stages of scientific careers; promotion of work-life balance, etc.). 2) Content and methods of scientific research, to acknowledge its gender dimension and impact (updating of teaching curricula; gendering the design of research and technological innovation; allocation of funds for gendered research; contrasting stereotypes about women in science, etc.). 3) Scientific leadership at different levels (selection procedures and criteria for the evaluation of scientific merit; introduction of equality targets in decision making bodies; enhancement of women researchers’ visibility, etc.). Each of the 5 involved partners have designed and will carry out a tailored action plan including measures related to all 3 sides, whose relative weight depends on their specific characteristics, situations and needs. TRIGGER will be characterised by integration, customisation, systematic nature, concreteness. Public debate and awareness will be generated on these issues Europe-wide. Added value will be yielded both on the strategic level, by the strong focus on gendering research, and on the operational level, through fostering mutual learning among partners and among the different European structural change projects, giving birth to an Integrated Model."