A tour across 7 European research organisations: Launching the MINDtheGEPs mid-term evaluation

These on-site visits provide a unique opportunity to directly interact with local teams, key actors, and stakeholders involved in shaping and implementing Gender Equality Plans. These visits go beyond mere data collection; they aim to foster immediate feedback and collaborative discussions through periodic monitoring sessions with the core teams of each organisation. 

By combining practical engagement, open communication, and a comprehensive evaluation strategy, MINDtheGEPs aims to contribute significantly to advancing gender equality in research. So far, the monitoring and evaluation team has visited University of Gdansk, Poland,  University of Turin, Italy, and University of Belgrade, Serbia. According to Claudia Colonnello, partners’ efforts show a strong dedication to driving meaningful change. 

Meetings and interviews with various individuals, including beneficiaries, organisational leaders, and other stakeholders, adds depth to the evaluation process. By gaining insights into the impact and effectiveness of each Gender Equality Plan from those directly involved, the project can better understand challenges and extract valuable lessons learned during the initial phase of implementation.

“In MINDtheGEPs, Monitoring and Evaluation serves two main functions, in line with the developmental evaluation approach: a quality and a problem solving orientation. Evaluation is not seen as a static activity of judgement, but as proactive and supporting activity which accompanies the entire process of structural and cultural change at each implementing organisation, from the analysis of the main gender (and diversity) imbalances to address, through the design and the implementation of the Gender Equality Plans and the reflection about how to provide sustainability to main positive results and changes achieved, after the end of the project," says Claudia Colonnello, on behalf of the Monitoring and Evaluation UNIT (at Rome-based Knowledge & Innovation) in MINDtheGEPs. 

According to Claudia Colonnello, they take a holistic approach to evaluation, also by committing to participation in partners’ local initiatives when they are on site. "By engaging with the community and understanding the broader context in which the Gender Equality Plans and core teams operate, the evaluation process becomes more nuanced and reflective of the real-world dynamics influencing gender equality in these organisations, and make us better monitors and evaluations.” 

Want to follow along? Knowledge & Innovation (K&I) are sharing a glimpse into their ongoing activities on the K&I LinkedIn page. 

By Anna Holm Bodin