Structural Change Promoting Gender Equality in Research Organisations (SAPGERIC)

Structural Change Promoting Gender Equality in Research Organisations

The high level international conference “Structural Change Promoting Gender Equality in Research Organisations” will be held in Vilnius, on November 21-22, under the auspices of the Lithuanian Presidency to the EU Council. The conference is organized by Vilnius University and co-funded by European Commission. The President of the Republic of Lithuania H. E. Dalia Grybauskaitė is patronizing the event. More than 250 participants from European countries and beyond are expected to come together and exchange on structural changes for gender equality.

The fast development of knowledge based economies claim a revision of the role and place of science in society and consequently of the science policy. Gender equality in science is a major challenge when implementing ambitious strategies towards the creation of competitive economics based on scientific achievements. Enlarging the pool of talents in science through the inclusion of more women researchers is of high significance. However, in spite of gender equality strategies, the European research, as well as other research areas in the world, still suffers from a considerable loss and inefficient use of highly skilled women.

Structural changes promoting gender equality in research organisations are seen as one of the key success factors for the Europe 2020 strategy and its flagship initiative “Innovation Union”. The Lithuanian presidency conference “Structural Change Promoting Gender Equality in Research Organisations” aims to enable and enhance the dialogue and knowledge sharing between all stakeholders taking part in the implementation of the 2020 strategy assuring gender equality in research: policy makers, executives from research funding agencies, academia, research institutions and scientific society in general.

Among the invited speakers it is planned to have high level policy makers coming from a variety of institutions, i.e. the European Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the European Commission, high level policy makers from EU Member States, representatives from other non-European countries, professional scientific societies and prestige scientific award committees, research funding agencies, executives of research institutions and universities and distinguished scientists from all over the Europe.