Kifinfo: Gender balance and diversity in research
Academic travel is cause for concern
Academic travel is cause for concern
With the climate crisis as backdrop, university employees have demanded a reduction in air travel. Could cutting air travel also lead to greater gender equality?
“Too much emphasis on implicit bias impedes gender equality efforts in academia”
“Too much emphasis on implicit bias impedes gender equality efforts in academia”
Implicit bias – the presence of prejudices and stereotypes in the workplace – has been a topic of discussion both within and outside academia. Does this lead to a focus on the individual that masks embedded structures inhibiting gender equality?
She Figures 2018: Some progress, but not fast enough
She Figures 2018: Some progress, but not fast enough
Academia lacks gender balance when it comes to salary, academic level and subject area. Experts are calling for stronger measures to achieve gender balance.
Voices of protest in academia:
The university as a democratic institution is at stake
The university as a democratic institution is at stake
Values like equality, inclusion and diversity are being stifled by the prevailing management ideology in academia, critics note. “We must create an academic culture of compassion,” says British organizational psychologist Kathryn Waddington.
Policy brief
In connection to the conference Creating a competitive edge through diversity, the KIF Committee published a policy brief summing up it’s work and pointing to challenges and opportunities ahead.
Newsletter
News from other media
When the numbers tell different stories
When the numbers tell different stories
Men produce twice as many scientific publications as women. At least that’s the long-held assumption. But Lynn Nygaard, a special adviser and doctoral research fellow at PRIO, challenges this widespread belief in her recent article.
Most read in 2018
The year of handling #MeToo in academia
The year of handling #MeToo in academia
Sexual harassment, the #MeToo movement, a radical suggestion to improve the gender balance among Nobel candidates, and the problem with white campuses. Read our top ten news articles from 2018.
Taking up the fight against right-wing populism: “We must keep gender in EU research”
Taking up the fight against right-wing populism: “We must keep gender in EU research”
Right-wing populism has infiltrated the EU and is challenging gender equality values in European research, according to the Czech sociologist Marcela Linkova. She wants to put gender on the map in the new research programme Horizon Europe.
Podcast: A threat to academic freedom is a threat to women’s rights
Podcast: A threat to academic freedom is a threat to women’s rights
Academic freedom is threatened by authoritarian right-wing populism in countries in Europe and Latin America. Listen to a podcast discussing why this matters to women's rights.
Gender and quality create conflict when hiring academics
Gender and quality create conflict when hiring academics
Many believe it is difficult to reconcile demands for gender equality and measures such as moderate quotas with academia’s conception of quality. This is according to a new master’s thesis on assessments and gender in hiring processes for senior-level positions.
Knowledge about gender needs decolonising
Knowledge about gender needs decolonising
The legacy from colonialism characterises Norwegian academia. Now, Norwegian researchers want to examine their own disciplines and include non-western perspectives in the academic institutions’ scholarly production.
Kalwant Bhopal: It pays to be white on campus
Kalwant Bhopal: It pays to be white on campus
Racism has become more visible in the UK after Brexit, and is seen in academia as well. This is according to diversity researcher Kalwant Bhopal, who is coming to Norway in November for a conference on diversity.
#MeToo kick starts Nordic research on sexual harassment
#MeToo kick starts Nordic research on sexual harassment
We have asked stakeholders in the sector about the status of research on sexual harassment in Nordic academia in the wake of #MeToo.
Research on sexual harassment:
Norway close behind Sweden
Norway close behind Sweden
A new working group will document the extent of sexual harassment in Norwegian academia. Now Sweden is encouraging Norway to follow its lead and set aside money for research in this area.
Time use in academia:
Men and women use their time differently, but everyone works too much
Men and women use their time differently, but everyone works too much
Male post-docs and PhD candidates work more than their female colleagues, but female professors work the most hours of all, according to the latest time use survey.
No more Norwegian input to the EU
No more Norwegian input to the EU
The Ministry of Education and Research will nonetheless assess whether a greater focus on gender balance and the gender dimension is needed in the EU’s new research programme. The Research Council and the KIF Committee are cautiously optimistic.
“Complete lack of due process for victims of sexual harassment”
“Complete lack of due process for victims of sexual harassment”
As it stands today, sexual harassment cases must be heard in the courts. Now many are applauding the decision to provide a low-threshold option that will ease the burden on victims.
The University of Oslo ramps up its fight against sexual harassment
The University of Oslo ramps up its fight against sexual harassment
For the first time ever, preventing sexual harassment is a main goal in the University of Oslo’s action plan for gender equality.
“Gender imbalance in science prizes sends a negative signal”
“Gender imbalance in science prizes sends a negative signal”
Just a handful of Nobel Laureates are women, and the Abel Prize has been awarded only to men. What is needed to eradicate the gender differences in awards for outstanding research?
EU urged to strengthen gender objectives
EU urged to strengthen gender objectives
The Research Council of Norway and the Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research have written a letter to the Ministry of Education and Research. Their message is clear: Don’t forget gender equality.
“Need gender balance among centre directors”
“Need gender balance among centre directors”
Less than 15 percent of grant applications for Centres of Excellence designate a woman as the centre director. A new master’s thesis looks at gender differences in research funding.
The KIF Committee:
Eight recommendations for lasting change after #MeToo
Eight recommendations for lasting change after #MeToo
Minister of Children and Equality Linda Hofstad Helleland recently held an input meeting on the #MeToo movement. The KIF Committee has eight recommendations for the minister about the work to prevent sexual harassment.
Curt Rice wants just as many female as male Nobel candidates
Curt Rice wants just as many female as male Nobel candidates
We are a long way from closing the gender gap among Nobel Laureates. Curt Rice, Rector of the Oslo Metropolitan University and Chair of the KIF Committee, explained his solution for this to the Nobel Foundation in Sweden last week.
Better research thanks to more gender equal staff
Better research thanks to more gender equal staff
A new article shows that women more often apply gender perspectives in their research. A diverse research group leads to better and more accurate knowledge about the world, according to Mathias Wullum Nielsen.
#MeToo can’t change academia by itself
#MeToo can’t change academia by itself
The #MeToo movement is standing up to sexual harassment, also in academia and the research sector. “The movement reveals just the tip of several icebergs,” says Mons Bendixen, a Norwegian researcher.