Publications

Policy brief: How research institutions work to improve gender equality and diversity in their own organisations

Background: In 2022, the Work Research Institute (AFI), represented by senior researchers Cathrine Egeland and Ida Drange, conducted a qualitative study on gender equality and diversity efforts at five research institutions, consisting of two research institutes, a vocational university college and two universities. The study was commissioned by the Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research (KIF Committee).

Content: What are the key organisational measures that can be taken to improve gender balance and diversity in the higher education and research sector? In this policy note, Cathrine Egeland address the organisation of gender equality and diversity efforts in the sector and give some recommendations for advancing this work.
Read the full report (in Norwegian only)
Read the policy brief (AFI 2024)

Policy brief: A new ERA of inclusion and intersectionality

Background: The Benchmarking report on terminology and policy on intersectionality was written in 2023 by Heidi H. Zachariassen and Ella Ghosh, both from the KIF Committee's secretariat, in addition to Ross Woods, head of equality at the Higher Education Authority of Ireland. The report was produced as part of the EU project GENDERACTIONplus. The objective of the study was to identify which countries had national requirements for working with more grounds than just gender in legislation and policies for the university and university college sector. Furthermore, the study was to look at whether countries with such requirements also had an intersectional approach in their equality efforts. February 2024 the recommendations were comprised in a policy brief.

Content: The policy brief presents recommendations for European policymakers, national authorities,
and research funding organisations (RFO). They distinguish between the concepts of diversity and inclusion in relation to intersectionality.
Read the policy brief
Read about the report in the news article: At the start line for a broad understanding of equality

Film series on action plans for gender equality and diversity

Background: The KIF Committee is encouraging universities, university colleges and research institutions to devise action plans to carry out efforts required under Norway’s Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act.

Content: The KIF Committee has made three films about why and how, and the key success factors behind action plans and efforts to promote gender equality.

The film series are made by Von kommunikasjon (November 2021). Selda Ekiz presents the KIF Committee’s advice.
See the film series: Film series on action plans
Read the news article: KIF Committee launches film series: Action plans for equality

From vision to reality ‒ a summary

Background: The report is a survey-based review (in Norwegian only) of how research institutes, universities and university colleges work to promote gender equality and diversity. It was authored by Sabina Tica and commissioned by the KIF Committee.

The report was presented via webinar 28 April 2021. This is an English summary (2021).

Content: The report is based on an analysis of the results of a survey conducted by the KIF committee of research institutes, university colleges and universities. The KIF committee initiated the survey to obtain more data and review the current status of efforts to promote gender balance and diversity in research, for use in its future work. They sent out the survey to a variety of research and higher education institutions, to HR heads at 64 institutions, of whom 48 responded.
Read the summary
Read the report (in Norwegian only)
Read the news article: New report: Lack of resources for promoting gender equality

Policy brief: Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research

Background: On 8-9 November 2017, The KIF Committee co-organized a Nordic conference on diversity and equality in research. The conference was organized in collaboration with Nordforsk, The Nordic Council of Ministers and the Norwegian Ministry for Education and Research.

Content: In connection to the conference, the committee published a policy brief summing up it’s work and pointing to challenges and opportunities ahead.

Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research, Curt Rice (Committee chair), 2017. Download the policy brief in printer-friendly version or reader-friendly version.
Read about the conference: Creating a competitive edge through diversity – leadership for Nordic research excellence towards 2030.

Report of the working group: Action for diversity

Background: In 2015, the KIF Committee commissioned a report on diversity in research. The report “It’s not an advantage to be a foreigner” was written by the Work Research Institute (AFI) and the Nordic Institute for Studies of Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU). The report was presented in March 2016, and the Committee appointed a working group to follow up the findings of the report with a set of recommendations.

Content: One section briefly describes some challenges and a discussion of some central concepts, categories and contextual factors. The next section is about diversity measures, but first it addresses the rationale for diversity.

KIF Committee's working group, 2016.
Read the report: Recommended measures to promote academic staff diversity in research and higher education
Read the news articles:
“More research needed on barriers for immigrants”
“Diversity efforts must be customized”

Guide: Using restructuring to promote gender equality and diversity

Content:A number of universities and university colleges have been merged. The KIF Committee has prepared a guide to give university colleges and universities practical tools to use in their restructuring efforts and to remind them to keep gender balance and diversity foremost in their minds.

The guide is a follow-up of the conference Structural reform in the higher education sector: Promising for gender equality?, which was organized by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the KIF Committee in June 2016.

Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research, Curt Rice (Committee chair), 2017.
Download the guide: reader-friendly version and printer-friendly version
Read the news articles:
New guide for gender equality and diversity
New equality tool for mergers

Booklet: Talent at stake. Changing the culture of research – gender-sensitive leadership

Content: In Talent at stake you will find interviews with leaders at various institutions and in a variety of research communities who have confronted the gender-equality challenge and made a difference. Letters from university rectors who present their experience with successful gender equality measures are also included. Talent at stake also presents measures for solving specific problems, facts, statistics and more.

This booklet is a revised, translated version of the booklet in Norwegian, which was published in March 2010. The editors of Talent at stake are Linda M. Rustad and Anne Winsnes Rødland.
Committee for Gender Balance in Research, Gerd Bjørhovde (Committee chair) [Oslo, The Committee], 2010.
Download the booklet: Talent at stake
Read the news article: New booklet: Talent at stake

Report: Positive action in Norwegian higher education and research: Challenges and opportunities 2008–2010

Content: This report is the product of a direct request made by the Ministry of Education and Research in Norway to the Committee for Mainstreaming in January 2008, to come up with a proposal of practical measures and recommendations aimed at improving women’s career opportunities and chances of promotion in higher education and research on a national scale.

Committee for Mainstreaming - Women in Science, Gerd Bjørhovde (chair) [Oslo, The Committee], 2008.

Download the report: Positive action in Norwegian higher education and research
Read the news article: Recommends earmarking

Report: Gender balance in higher education and research – golden opportunities

Content: In February 2007 the first Committee for Mainstreaming – Women in Science handed in its final report to the Ministry of Education and Research. In this report the committee gives its recommendations for further gender equality work in the academic sector, and summarizes the development of the gender balance and gender equality work in this sector for the past few years.

This English report is an abridged and reworked version of the original Norwegian report.

Committee for Mainstreaming - Women in Science. [Oslo, The Committee], 2007. - 34 p.

Download the report: Gender balance in higher education and research
Read the news article:Economic rewards for hiring of women