(Photo: The panel entitled “STAGES Training Programmes on Gender Equality in Science” from the Documentary Exhibition “UAIC – A Place for Women in Science”, 23 June – 11 July 2014)

Initiated by the STAGES project at the UAIC, the training programmes on gender equality in science aim to increase gender awareness and cultivate a proactive understanding of different actors and beneficiaries involved in strategic areas that are relevant for improving the dynamics of gender equal opportunities in academic and research activities at the UAIC:

• management staff, especially Human Resources Management;
• academic and research staff;
• early-career researchers, post-doctoral fellows, PhD candidates and MA students of the UAIC

Gender and Science. Certified training course jointly organized by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO) and the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science

An important direction of our sustainability plan focused on the training of the staff of the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science (CGES) and of the members of the Network of Women in Academia and Research. In close complementarity with the already given trainings as well as with the learning and formative effect of different activities performed by the UAIC-STAGES project, this year we aimed at 'fixing the knowledge and skills' for understanding, recognising and evaluating gender equality/in-equality through a series of certified training-courses given by international organizations. Therefore, the Centre for Gender Equality in Science, in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organizations (ITC-ILO), organized a two days (23-24 September2015) certified training course "Gender and Science". Its main objectives have been: to enable the participants to familiarise with the main issues characterizing women's presence in academic and scientific research in the EU; to analyse and discuss the main structural causes of gender inequalities in academic research; to identify the main possible strategies to promote structural change for gender equality in academic research; to elaborate some individual and group level action to support the undergoing projects of structural change in course at the UAIC. During the two days of training course, through interactive and participatory activities, the participants had the opportunity to analyse together different facets of gender equality/in-equality in research. The training course has been given by Benedetta Magri, gender expert from the ITC-ILO. In context, Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, the UAIC-STAGES coordinator, presented in the situation of gender equality in science at the UAIC. The training benefited by a large interest and wide participation of 51 female and male senior and young researchers, members of the Senate, Heads of Doctoral Schools, Vice-deans and heads of the faculties' departments, as well as Heads and members of the Department of Human Resources, of the Financial and Accounting Department and of the Department of Project Management. The course ended with the certification ceremony of the attendees.

The ILO Training Course on Participatory Gender Audit

According to the designed sustainability plan, the UAIC-STAGES project team promotes an active strategy aiming at assuring the continuity of the new functional structures and practices set up at UAIC for promoting gender equality in science. In this respect a series of trainings of the members of the Centre for Gender Equality in Science and of the Network of Women in Academia and Research have been foreseen with the aim to develop their skills and certificate their expertise for gender equality evaluation and monitoring in our university. Following this strategy, within the period 22 June – 17 July 2015, a team of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research and of the Centre for Gender Equality in Science participated at an intensive training course on Participatory Gender Audit (PGA) organized by the International Labour Organization at the International Training Centre in Turin, Italy. The Romanian team has been represented by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luminița Bejenaru, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Corina Forăscu and Ec. Liliana Iftimia, Head of the UAIC Accounting-Financial Department. After three weeks of online course and individual preparation, on the week 13-17 July the training was finalized in Turin, under the coordination of two ILO gender experts, Johanna Lortie and Linda Wirth. The training aimed at promoting organizational learning on mainstreaming gender equality by using a self-assessment tool for institutional multi-level analysis and by involving the organization members to jointly reflect on and to build their capacity to face gender challenges in their own institutions.

Under the same strategy focused on preparation the sustainability of the structures and practices developed within the frame of the UAIC-STGES project, Ms. Elena Felice-Radu, the Head of the Project Management Department, and also member of the UAIC-STAGES team, attended, within 6-24 July 2015, the ILO online and face to face training course on Coping with complexity: Towards a more systemic approach to Project Cycle Management. Based on the recent research and scientific evaluation, the training course challenged the traditional view on project cycle management, especially when the aim is organizational change and institutional capacity building, and this way stimulated the increasing and updating of the knowledge and skills on successful projects applications and management.

International exchange of experience and transfer of knowledge on Gender Equality in Science

At the joined initiative of the Centre for the Promotion of Women and Gender Studies from Vienna University of Technology, Austria and the Centre for Gender Equality in Science from "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi, Romania, set up within the European project STAGES, an on-site visit for exchange of experience and transfer of knowledge on Gender Equality in Science has been organized on the 15-16 December 2014 at the Vienna University of Technology (TU-Wien).
The UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science (CGES) has been represented by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Director of CGES, Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan, Deputy Director of the UAIC Doctoral School, Associate Professor Luminita Bejenaru, member of the Senate of the UAIC, Associate Professor Lenuta Alboaie, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, Associate Professor Iuliana Breaban, member of the management board of CGES, Adina Cojocariu, representative of the Rector's Office and Sonia Giorgiu, Gabriela Enasescu and Cristina Holban, representatives of the Department of Human Resources from the UAIC.
The transfer of knowledge programme has started with the meeting with Dr. Brigitte Ratzer, head of the Centre for the Promotion of Women and Gender Studies from TU-Vienna, who gave a presentation about "Women at TU Vienna –Challenges and perspectives for the future", with special focus on gender issues in curricula, mentoring and role models programmes as well as on the initiatives aiming at high-lightening women's scientific excellence. The delegation of the UAIC Centre had then the pleasure to meet Professor Anna Steiger, the Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Gender from TU-Wien, who presented the strategic vision on the Human Resources and Gender Equality Management, speaking especially about the main policies, strategies, measures and plans for advancement of women. The third session of training took place at the Office of Human Resources, where Ms. Heidemarie Pichler, the Head of the Office, presented the operational dimensions of the "HR Development and Corporate Health at Vienna University of Technology", which provided the opportunity to understand how the strategies and measures in place on the development of human resources and gender equality are working in everyday life at the TU Vienna. At the same office, Ms. Eva Vesely, the Coordinator of the TU Vienna programme on Dual Couple Career explained that for partners of newly appointed professors are offered different services, support and advice tailored for each situation. The exchange experience programme included also a visit at TU-Kids, the kindergarten of the university. Presenting the specific activities, Ms. Astrid Schowdorfer, the Head of the institution, emphasized that the programme of the kindergarten complements the strategies in place at the TU-Vienna aiming at creating a friendly environment for the students and staff and being also an important support for the professional work and family life balance. The series of meetings, presentations and visits was followed by group discussions on the good practices and experiences that could be transferred at the UAIC.

Training session “Scientific excellence in Horizon 2020 projects: Gender in project’s life cycle”

At the solicitation of the academic and research staff in our university, the UAIC-STAGES project, in cooperation with the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, has organized on the 9 December 2014 a one day training on “Scientific excellence in Horizon 2020 projects: gender in project’s life cycle”. The training was delivered by Ms. Catarina Arnaut, gender expert from Yellow Window, Belgium, and took place in the UAIC Senate Room, from 9:00 to 17:30. The training was divided in two sessions: the morning session comprised an overall introduction into gender and research and show how gender is interwoven with all aspects of research. The topics were then examined in pragmatic terms in order to underline how a gender dimension of research content contributes to excellence in research. This way, various aspects of gender equality in science have been zoomed in into the framework of Horizon 2020 and its gender specific requirements included in the projects applications. During the afternoon session, case studies were analyzed based on concrete examples drawn from two specific research fields: nanosciences and biotechnology and inclusive, innovative and reflective societies.(more info on the programme). The training, based on interactive methods, was attended by 44 professors and researchers, members of Senate, Doctoral Schools and Departments managers as well as post-docs fellows, PhD candidates and MA students, who manifest their interest to learn more about gender dimensions that should be taken into consideration when applications in European research projects are to be initiated. The training had as a documentary and working document the toolkit “Gender in EU-funded research and innovation” provided by Yellow Window (Publication Office of the European Union, 2014).

Training session “Human Resources Excellence in Research and Gender Equality Programme”

Our university has received the logo "Human Resources Excellence in Research" which is conferred by the European Commission to the research institutions that implement the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their Recruitment in their policies and practices. According to the EC "Human Resources Strategy for Researchers" (HRS4R), by gaining this logo within a multi-staged evaluation process, an institution is identified as a provider and supporter of a stimulating and favorable working environment for researchers. (read more). Since the adoption of the Commission Recommendation on the Charter & Code in 2005, over 1200 institutions from 35 countries in Europe and abroad have expressed their explicit support for the principles of these policy and normative documents and about 180 have obtained the Commission's "HR Excellence in Research" badge. By obtaining the logo, on March 2014, UAIC has received at the same time the acknowledgement that its regulations and practices are in alignment with the European values of Ethics, Freedom and Transparency and the principles of “Human Resources Excellence in Research”. Among these principles the promoting of Gender Equality in Science is also assumed as a priority concern, so as it is explicitly written both in the UAIC Evaluation Report and in the Action Plan for the next two years (for more information).

The training module provided by the UAIC-STAGES project for the managers and staff of the UAIC Human Resources Department had this year the theme “Human Resources Excellence in Research and Gender Equality Programme”. As UAIC has recently received the EC’s logo “Human Resources Excellence in Research”, and the observance of the gender equality principle is among the criteria taken into consideration for accessing this distinction, Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur has presented the new provisions on Gender Equality in Science included in the Horizon 2020 and in the other policy documents of the European Research Area (ERA). The presentation has also focused on the gender statistical indicators included in the recent European research studies and the importance of completing a correspondent database at the UAIC in order to facilitate permanent comparative analysis. The elaboration of this database is a task assumed by the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, and will be accomplished in the next two years with the technical support of the Human Resources Department from the UAIC. (23 June 2014. UAIC Building A, Room S5).

Training module: Gender Equality in Science - the experience of CNRS France

Dr. Anne Pepin, Director at the National Centre for Scientific Research of France (CNRS), Mission for the Place of Women, presented the conference "Gender Equality in Science: the experience and achievements of the CNRS France". Anne is also coordinator in FP7 project INTEGER, which is similar ("twin") in its aims with the STAGES project, both of them having as main objective structural change to achieve gender equality in science. Her presentation has been attended by more than 70 participants, academics and senior researchers, Human Resources staff, early-career researchers, PhD and MA students from the UAIC. The debate was moderated by prof. dr. Doina Balahur. (24 October 2013, UAIC, Building A, Ferdinand King room).

Training module: Gender Equality Policy - a joint commitment of the European Research Universities

In this training session, Dr. Katrien Maes, Chief Policy Officer of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), presented a conference on "Scientific excellence and gender equality in the European Research Universities: LERU's vision and policies" (pdf). The debate following the presentation was moderated by prof. dr. Doina Balahur. Among the over 50 participants there were senior managers, academics and researchers from the UAIC, post-doctoral fellows, PhD and MA students.(23 October 2013. UAIC Building A, Ferdinand King Room).

Training-seminar: Human Resources Management and Gender Equality in Science

The training-seminar on the theme Human Resources Management and Gender Equality in Science was given by Dr. Teresa Ratzer, Director of the Center for the Promotion of Women and Gender Studies from the Technical University of Vienna (Austria), invited expert of the STAGES project at the UAIC. It was held on the16 May 2013 at the UAIC (Building R, Room 317), with the participation of the managers and staff members of Human Resources Department of the UAIC Iasi.

Training module for the UAIC Network's members

This training programme was organised in cooperation with the UAIC Network members, women in academics and research, with the technical assistance of ASDO and DPO representatives. Invited speaker: Marina Cacace (ASDO) who presented the theme "Towards gender equality in scientific careers. Negociating change: the STAGES Project" (pdf). Also invited participants: Giovanna Murari (ASDO) and Marino Di Nardo (DPO). The discussions focused on the role of various types of negotiations in the structural changes processes (5 October 2012, UAIC Building R, room 317).

Training module for Human Resources Management

This training module was organized for the managers and the staff from the Human Resources Department of the UAIC (on the 24 May 2012, at the UAIC, Building R, room 317). The theme was Gender Equal Opportunities. Within the training topics prof. dr. Doina Balahur presented the main problems of gender equality in science and the strategic actions provisioned in the STAGES project. Curricula:

• Gender Equality in Science (European policies and recent European Commission campaigns);
• Educational and research programmes on gender equality (in some European and World Universities);
• Comparative statistic indicators on gender equal opportunities in academics and science (in EU, RO, UAIC);
• The objectives of the STAGES project at UAIC. Strategic areas, action plan and implementing provisions.