Frederick University is partnering with nine academic and research institutions for the project “Twinning Research and Innovation Institutions to Design and Implement Inclusive GEPs (NEXUS), aiming to offer support for the implementation of inclusive gender equality plans in Universities.

The project secured funding of 1 million euros from the European Commission’s highly competitive HORIZON EUROPE program.

Ten academic and research organizations in Ireland, Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria, France, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, and Turkey take part in the project with the aim to bridge inclusivity gaps in their ecosystems, leading to the advancement of their Gender Equality Plans. Furthermore, they aim to promote geographical inclusivity through a highly context-sensitive approach to GEP action piloting in the seven Member States and two associated countries.

At Frederick University, the project is implemented by the University’s RIGE-Gender Equality and Inclusion Research Unit. The Unit’s Leader, Dr Petroula Mavrikiou, Associate Professor at the Department of Business Administration, comments: “We aim to bolster institutional change towards gender equality and by participating in the NEXUS project, we are taking a step further to safeguarding such changes. In collaboration with our partners, we aim to develop inclusive Gender Equality Plans in intersectional and intersectoral directions, considering both the matter of gender but also that of race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, age, sexual orientation, etc.”

In the framework of NEXUS, support structures are set up among the partners: experienced institutions offer their knowledge to the ones less experienced in developing Gender Equality Plans. The project will analyse how implementing partners with newly set up GEPs perform data collection, internal assessment, and the planning of GEP measures with a view to identifying areas of improvement as well as potential challenges in enhancing an inclusive approach. Frederick University is one of the partnering institutions where new, innovative inclusive actions will be implemented in order to improve the GEPs.

Frederick University developed its own intersectional Gender Equality Plan (GEP) covering a four-year period (2021-2025). Through its GEP, the University is committed to eliminating the gender pay gap. It also adopts a policy goal of having a minimum of 30% representation of women in all top governing bodies. This goal has already been achieved. Furthermore, Frederick University adopted a Code of Practice for the Prevention and Combating of Harassment and Sexual Harassment.

It is noted that for the 2021-22 academic year, the university has 50% women representation in its Council, and 50% of the top management positions are held by women. In academic management, 39% of chaired positions (Rector, Vice-Rectors, Deans, Presidents) are held by women. The university has a low percentage in women representation in Professorships and this has been set as a key gap to address.

The NEXUS project is coordinated by the Technological University Dublin (Ireland). Partners are Smart Venice (Italy), Frederick University (Cyprus), Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski (Bulgaria), Universite Du Mans (France), Academia Gorniczo-Hutnicza Im. Stanislawa Staszica W Krakowie (Poland), Bay Zoltan Alkalmazott Kutatasi Kozhasznu Nonprofit KFT (Hungary), University of Nis (Serbia), Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (Italy) and KOC University (Turkey).