The dual approach: governance and collaborative networks driving gender equality
The University of Turin is making significant progress in gender equality through a mix of strong support from University governance structures and collaborative networks. The University of Turin has combined top-down support from leadership with widespread engagement across the university. Creating a sustainable and collaborative approach to implementing gender equality plans.
Cristina Solera is coordinator of the MINDtheGEPs project and Professor at the University of Turin. She describes the mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches at the University of Turin as a positive circle where the alignment between governance structures and collaborative initiatives accelerates progress. However, while governance support has been crucial, she emphasizes that long-term change requires a combination of leadership commitment and broad participation throughout the organisation.
“We are in a wonderful positive circle. In a sense that through MINDtheGEPs we really put resources [towards] thinking, designing and realising [Gender Equality Plans]”, says Cristina Solera.
In line with their participatory approach, the University of Turin has established the MINDtheGEPs network of delegates: a group that consists of representatives from the university’s 27 departments from various disciplines and representatives from the different administrative units. According to Cristina Solera, the network of delegates is a space where departments and administrative units receive information about what we have done and ideas for the future. The network meets regularly and creates an informal assembly where diverse opinions are shared, and resistance is addressed collaboratively. Creating a space for reflection and thinking together, acting as links between their departments and units.
This dual approach at the University of Turin illustrates the power of combining governance support with collaborative networks to promote gender equality. By engaging stakeholders at every level, the university is hoping to create a lasting impact, and setting a benchmark for other research institutions across Europe.
At the University of Turin, one of the structural actions that were implemented involves giving incentives to departments that promote women as full professors. The measure was introduced as a way to break the glass ceiling. The group knew that there would be a lot of resistance to those kinds of measures, similar to the resistance against gender quotas: framed as an attack to meritocracy and that the glass ceiling is mainly an individual and not a social matter. However, when the MINDtheGEPs team met with The Academic Senate and Rector several times to explain the reasons behind this measure. They also organised a meeting with the network of delegates offering keynote speeches by relevant scholars to discuss the theoretical and empirical roots behind it. As a result, they were able to get approval for this measure much sooner than expected.
Interested in structural incentives for gender balance in research organisations? Download our brief: Cipriani, Nastassja., Solera, Cristina., & Holm Bodin, Anna. (2023). Gender quotas & positive action: An attack on meritocracy?. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10024373
By Fanny Klingvall & Josepine Fernow