Horizon Europe - University of York Gender Equality Plan

Background to the Gender Equality Plan

One of the requirements of receiving Horizon Europe funding is that higher education institutions established in Member States or Associated Countries have a Gender Equality Plan (GEP).

The University of York Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is a compilation of a number of documents which meet all of the European Commission’s requirements, as outlined below, and include: work-life balance and organisational culture; gender balance in leadership and decision-making; gender equality in recruitment and career progression; integration of the gender dimension into research and teaching content; and measures against gender-based violence including sexual harassment.

University of York Gender Equality Plan

The University was founded on the values of excellence, equality and opportunity for all. More than 60 years on we remain deeply committed to this and our 2030 strategic vision is underpinned by a Core Principle of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), which weaves through all our aims as a University for Public Good and is reflected in our EDI strategic Objectives. Our commitment to advancing gender equality is evidenced in our longstanding commitment to the Athena Swan Charter.

Advancing gender equality at York

The University was one of the first signatories to the Athena Swan Charter in 2006 and we have demonstrated an ongoing dedication to the principles of the AS Charter, including since its expansion beyond the STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) disciplines. As well as a Bronze University Athena Swan award, we now hold awards in 92% of our academic schools and departments across all three faculties, including three Gold awards and six Silver awards.  Our School of Physics, Engineering And Technology (PET) holds a Juno Project Champion award which recognises our action to address the under-representation of women in Physics. We are one of only two UK universities to have held the HR Excellence in Research (HREiR) Award for 12 consecutive years. Detailed information about the progress we have made and our current priorities for addressing gender inequality can be found in our published Athena Swan award applications.

How we meet the requirements of the Gender Equality Plan

Contact us

Equality and Diversity Office

equality@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 324680
@EqualityatYork

Detailed initiatives which meet the requirements of the Horizon Gender Equality Plan

Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plan Criterion UoY gender equality work: 
Athena Swan action plan (ASAP18-24) reference
Other relevant information/documentation
Work-life balance and organisational culture Action T17 Role-model work-life balance measures

Workload and wellbeing guidance, including Remote working guidance

Research Culture Action Plan which sets out a strategy for building a positive culture for research staff and students up to 2030. The Action Plan connects with and is supported by our Researcher Development Concordat Action Plan and Technician Commitment Action Plan, which establish our commitments to creating the environment and support to ensure a fair and consistent approach to developing the careers of our researchers and technicians.

EDI annual report which details how we measure and evaluate our EDI objectives

Gender balance in leadership and decision-making

Action E6 Enhance Unconscious Bias awareness

Action E11 Diversify University of York committees

Actions T1 and T2 Improve diversity of Senior management

Unconscious Bias

Gender balance on recruitment panels as part of the University’s recruitment policy

Gender equality in recruitment and career progression

Action T6 Encourage diverse recruitment

Actions T3 to T5 Improve senior academic promotion & promotion transparency

Action In3 Sponsor Fellowships for career-returners 

Our Academic Promotion process specifically addresses under-representation of women in senior academic roles and contains supportive resources, including videos.

Pay Gap Report and action plan

Gender balance on recruitment panels

Gender equality positive action in G8+ recruitment 

Integration of the gender dimension into research and teaching content Action E13 Improve accountability for EDI/AS work

Inclusive learning and diversifying curricula resources

The Valuing Voices for Equitable and Responsible Research project, funded by The Wellcome Trust, is addressing gender balance within research teams as one of a series of approaches to making research projects more equitable and responsible.

The White Rose Gender Equality College and York’s Research and Innovation Development Team support researchers to give meaningful consideration to gender equality dimensions within their research and related impact plans.

The Centre for Women’s Studies adopts an inclusive, intersectional, transnational and interdisciplinary approach to the changing nature of women's experiences, gender relations and identities, which is relevant to both University research and teaching content.

Collection of EDI data in research, development of EDI metrics

Women in research network and conferences

Measures against gender-based violence, including sexual harassment. Action E16 New Dignity at Work and Study Policy and reporting tool

Our Sexual Violence Action plan was launched in 2021 and work continues to be driven by the Gender-Based Violence Steering Group via the GBV action plan. 
Progress on our Gender based violence action plan for 2022-23

Guidance for students about Sexual Violence and how to report it

Report + Support - online reporting tool for staff and students

Dignity at Work and Study Policy and Guidance

Fostering respectful and inclusive behaviours is central to the University’s Community without Limits framework.

Contact us

Equality and Diversity Office

equality@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 324680
@EqualityatYork