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MINDtheGEPs: Gender equality in research
Reducing gender imbalances in European research institutions and generating data to support the development of national and European policy for gender equality in research performing organisations.
White book: Building inclusive research organisations
How to use a data-driven approach to designing,
implementing & sustaining Gender Equality Plans
The MINDtheGEPs White Book provides a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for designing, implementing, and sustaining Gender Equality Plans in research-performing organizations across Europe. Developed within the Horizon 2020 MINDtheGEPs project, the document draws on lessons learned from seven partner institutions in five countries with traditional gender regimes—Italy, Poland, Ireland, Spain, and Serbia—spanning universities, public research bodies, and private sector R&D centers.
Pisacane, Lucio., Marini, Sara., Colonnello, Claudia., Holm Bodin, Anna., & Fernow, Josepine. (2025). Building inclusive research organisations: How to use a data-driven approach to designing, implementing & sustaining Gender Equality Plans. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17608015
Fighting for gender equality in research & science: What works?
Lessons learned from the MINDtheGEPs project
Achieving gender equality in research and science is a long-term, systemic process. It requires reliable data, strong leadership, and the combined use of top-down and bottom-up approaches. It also depends on the active involvement of management and decision-makers, collaboration with gender experts, a reflexive and participatory approach to opening up dialogue across disciplines, genders, and career levels, and alignment with national and institutional contexts. Drawing from MINDtheGEPs experience, this policy brief offers a roadmap for organisations to make their gender equality efforts last, ensuring that they strengthen both wellbeing and research excellence producing ”happier” organisations and researchers.
This policy brief was written for research performing organisations, the European Commission & the scientific community.
Solera Cristina & Balzano Angela. (2025). Fighting for gender equality in research & science: What works?. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17724013
Take a look at our GEPs
All MINDtheGEPs partners have developed ex-ante Gender Equality Plans and created web resources for their organisations.
Discover our Open Forum
Join the discussion in our online Open Forum events or take a look at our recordings!
Promoting gender equality in research
From 2021-2025, we will work to increase women's participation in research and innovation with the aim to improve women’s career prospects, to improve gender balance in decision-making bodies in research organisations, and to include gender dimensions in relevant research content. Increasing the quality and societal relevance of knowledge, technologies, and innovations produced.
Targeting key areas
We work to increase women's participation in research and innovation by improving their career prospects, increasing gender balance in decision-making bodies at research organisations, and including gender dimensions in research content & teaching. Our Gender Equality Plans also include actions to improve work-life balance and prevent gender-based violence.
The MINDtheGEPs approach
We are promoting gender equality at both the structural and cultural level of organisations working in research and innovation. With a focus on fixing the system, not the women, we will assess gender imbalances, design gender equality plans for sustainable change, and monitor and evaluate the progress we make. Towards gender equality in research!
Project partners
MINDtheGEPs unites 10 European research organisations from 7 EU countries in to close the gender gap in research and innovation. Together, universities, research centres & a scientific publisher work to ensure work-life balance for all and increase women's participation in research.
Supporting the European Research Area
The European Research Area platform provides space for researchers, innovators, citizens, and policymakers to connect, collaborate, and access the latest information, data and resources related to the European Research Area.
