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Mainstreaming the gender dimension in research activities and outcomes is a topical challenge related to excellence. The gender dimension in research activities requires an ethically sound process in creating highquality results. Major research funding organisations are increasingly interested in analyses of the gender dimension in research, thereby challenging researchers to review their research plans accordingly. The Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) aims to tackle this challenge. The GIA is not a strict methodology but rather an approach to be further co-designed by local GIA communities of practitioners (CoPs) to ensure its fit into each academic research setting in aiming to improve equality and quality of the knowledge produced. The GIA approach also effectively supports Horizon Europe’s mission-oriented work, in which European research and innovation missions have the objective of delivering solutions to some of the greatest challenges that our world is facing, all of them having gender impact.
The GIA of research content is facilitated with a GIA checklist and a GIA consultation session arranged by the institutional grant writing support staff. Based on experience and collected feedback, the local GIA CoP will finetune the GIA checklist as well as the local institutional consultation practices.
In order to ensure the sustainability of the GIA as an institutional and operational function, a specific GIA protocol will be tailored for the university with the assistance of the GIA CoP. The ultimate version of the GIA protocol must define the institutional structures, processes, resources, and conditions for GIA services, as well as tools that are available for researchers to conduct a proper GIA for mainstreaming the gender dimension in research. The responsibilities of the local GIA CoP will be specified in the GIA protocol, which describes the institutional engagement, and will seek prior approval from middle and top management of the university.