With these efforts, which form a prominent part of our wider intersectional Diversity & Inclusion approach, we will continue our contribution towards gender equality in academia. We look forward to further expand these efforts during the course of the following year, in line with our UvA-wide D&I efforts as stated in our Strategic Plan ‘Inspiring Generations’ 2021 -2026.

The European Commission is committed to promoting gender equality in research and innovation. It is part of the European Commission Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025, which sets out the Commission’s broader commitment to equality across all EU policies. In addition, the EU has a well-established regulatory framework on gender equality, including binding directives, which applies widely across the labour market including the research sector.

Because of the peculiarities of the research sector, and because many structural barriers to gender equality in research and innovation persist, specific action is needed to overcome gender gaps. The European Commission addresses these barriers through the main funding instrument Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) within the European Research Area, in collaboration with member countries and research organisations.

Gender equality at the UvA

As a participating research organization, the University of Amsterdam and its Executive Board (EB) have supported these robust actions as part of our own commitment towards gender equality within our academic community and in the wider academic environment it is part of.

The UvA strives to be an inclusive university, a place where everyone may develop themselves to their full potential and feel welcome, safe, respected, supported and valued. We recognize that the universal right to education guarantees fair and equitable treatment, access, opportunity and advancement for all our current and prospective students, faculty and staff. Through community involvement with the rich diversity of Amsterdam we work to make the UvA a place that embraces opportunities to engage with the complex questions of heritage and social responsibility. By cooperating with the university and local communities we facilitate and mobilize centralised and decentralised support for a diversity of people and knowledges.

Dedicated resources

The University of Amsterdam has a designated, fully staffed Chief Diversity Office Team D&I Office  and a network of Faculty Diversity Officers. The UvA also has dedicated HR capacity on both a central and decentral level to support and contribute toward further Gender Equality. This year the CDO team has funded a wide variety of initiatives through their Grassroots Funding initiative, which promoted not only gender equality, but also raised awareness of and fought discrimination within the UvA. The UvA and a number of its staff members is actively involved in the Dutch Network of Women Professors (LNVH), which actively promotes and strives towards equal representation of Women within Dutch Academia.

Data collection and monitoring

In 2021 the UvA carrried out a first comprehensive analysis of gender differences in payment and career paths, which included the data of more than 1100 scientists and data on promotions from the year 2005 onwards. The University of Amsterdam is committed to continue and expand the collection of gender-related data in line with the monitoring of the effects of the policy measures within the UvA D&I Policy Framework and the Strategic Ambitions towards a more inclusive academic culture. Upon request of the LNVH the UvA set a target for the percentage of female professors to reach at least 30% by 2025.

Training and capacity building

The University of Amsterdam offers its staff a broad range of active-involvement workshops that have proven effective regarding diversity and inclusion (e.g. workshops aimed at viewing situations from different perspectives, listening and participatory leadership).

Increasing Social or Personal Safety and security is seen as a foundational requirement for the UvA to become a more inclusive university. Social safety is a broad concept, ranging from an ethical culture where people can hold others accountable, to transparent and accessible complaints procedures and the establishment of clear boundaries for conduct. Strengthening social safety is a constant concern and focuses on information and awareness, help and support and the system of reports and complaints. Over the past two years, we have considered and improved our system and procedures for reports and complaints of undesirable behaviour.