Opinion

EU demands gender equality plan before granting funds

Beginning next year, a research organization applying to Horizon Europe will need to have a gender equality plan to be eligible for funding. But Heidi Holt Zachariassen and Curt Rice of Norway’s KIF committee wonder if that will be enough to achieve real change that is inclusive for all.

Women publish more than people think

The assumption that male academics publish more than their female colleagues is deeply ingrained. But new analysis shows that much of the difference vanishes if you dig into the numbers.

Europe lacks sexual harassment measures and research

Research on sexual harassment in academia is poorly developed and there are few measures in place to combat the harassment itself. The Nordic countries are no exception. So concludes a new European study.

The EU will support innovative women

Innovation will be given greater focus in the ongoing EU effort to design the next research and innovation framework programme. This represents a good opportunity to improve the gender balance in innovation environments, says Anita Krohn Traaseth.

Updated innovation concept means greater diversity

Innovation has typically been thought of as involving patents, licences and start-ups. Today, innovation researchers have a far broader understanding of the concept, believes research leader Espen Solberg.

Most read articles in 2019

Check out our top five most read news articles in 2019 about implicit bias, academic protests, publication and gender, climate crisis and sexual harassment.

Gender equality in 30 years?

The number of women in academia in Norway has increased, yet they are still a minority, and the target that women should make up half of all academic personnel in permanent positions has not been achieved. If the current rate of change in the higher education sector continues at the same tempo as it has in the 1990s and the current decade, it will take another 25 to 30 years before half of those in permanent positions are women. These figures emerge from a new report compiled by NIFU STEP.