ATHENA Toolkit

The ATHENA Toolkit aims at supporting ATHENA RPOs and RFOs institutions that are in the process of developing their GEPs. For this purpose, the toolkit offers an array of tools and resources that may assist project institutions with examples, guidance and inspiration useful for tailoring their institutional plans. This Toolkit should be used as complement of the D4.1-Best practice compendium project deliverable, which introduces relevant measures and actions identified across Europe research organisations for culture transformation and the development of GEPs.

The recommendations, resources and tools included within this toolkit may also serve any other research organisation interested in implementing a transformative change towards gender equality.

Resource title Beyond childcare: a gender approach to work-life balance in R&I institutional cultures
Description A training on a gender approach to work-life balance in R&I institutional cultures to go beyond childcare
WHAT Training
WHO GE Academy project
Resource title Organisational culture and work-life balance
Description A training on a gender-sensitive approach to work-life balance in R&I institutional cultures for HR officers, research team leaders, head of departments and gender equality or diversity officers.
WHAT Training
WHO GE Academy project
Resource title Re-humanising work and life in academia and research
Description A webinar to promote reflection and dialogue about women and men as partners in building gender equality
WHAT Webinar
WHO GE Academy project
Resource title ‘Why science needs a new reward and recognition system’
Description This survey shows the impact of the pandemic for researchers with a career role
WHAT Survey
WHO CALIPER project
Resource title Work-life balance
Description A series of good practices to achieve a healthy work-life balance according to R&I peers research.
WHAT Good practices
WHO R&I PEERS project
Resource title ACT on Gender Equality in Decision Making
Description A deep analysis that also provides recommendations on how to overcome this inequality
WHAT Video
WHO ACT project
Resource title Best practices report (on leadership and decision-making)
Description A worldwide identification of Best Practices as well as leadership programmes in other sectors and analysis of programmes main features
WHAT Report (project deliverable)
WHO GEARING ROLES project
Resource title Bias and Resistances: Exploring Challenges to Gender Equality in Leadership and Decision-Making
Description A joint webinar with Gearing Roles | Bias and Resistances: Exploring Challenges to Gender Equality in Leadership and Decision-Making
WHAT Webinar
WHO GE Academy project
Resource title Gender equality in decision-making bodies
Description A series of good practices relating to gender equality in decision making bodies, according to R&I peers research
WHAT Good practices
WHO R&I PEERS project
Resource title Gender in decision-making “Gender-sensitive leadership: What does it take?”
Description A training to sensitise about the value of gender-sensitive-making processes among others
WHAT Workshop (video)
WHO GE Academy project
Resource title Gender-sensitive mentoring programme in academia: a design process
Description Toolkit to enable research institutions and universities to conceive or build a mentoring programme, or to enhance already existing programmes with useful considerations.
WHAT Working paper
WHO GARCIA project
Resource title International Workshop on “Improvement of women’s careers prospects and gender balance in decision-making bodies in Research Organisations”
Description Discussion on how to close the gap for women’s careers progression and achieve gender balance in decision-making bodies.
WHAT Workshop (video)
WHO LETSGEPS project
Resource title How to gender mainstream and enhance the quality of decision-making processes: Experiences from Uppsala University
Description Observations and lessons learnt from Uppsala University on gender mainstreaming
WHAT Article
WHO SPEAR Project
Resource title How to increase women’s representation in decision-making boards?
Description A CHANGE case study from the University of Aveiro, Portugal
WHAT Webinar PPT presentation
WHO CHANGE project
Resource title Identified best practices
Description Interactive map with information on best practices identified by the GERAING ROLES project
WHAT Interactive map with best practices in Europe
WHO GERAING ROLES project
Resource title ACT on Career Advancement
Description Important factors for career advancement and how the ACT project address them
WHAT Video
WHO ACT project
Resource title Enhancing female researchers careers in ICT/IST (Part 1)
Description Webinar that highlights the measures promoted by TU Wien Faculty of Informatics, which has put in place a set of interesting measures along more than 10 years, among others including opening post-doc-assistant and tenure-track researcher positions for women only
WHAT Webinar
WHO EQUAL-IST project
Resource title Enhancing female researchers careers in ICT/IST (Part 2)
Description A webinar presenting the initiatives undertaken by Radboud University, Institute on Computing and Information Sciences, which has been awarded within the 2017 Minerva Awards from Informatics Europe, devoted to initiatives supporting the transition of female Ph.D. and postdoctoral researchers into faculty positions.
WHAT Webinar
WHO EQUAL-IST project
Resource title Gender bias in academic recruitment and promotion
Description A webinar to recognize and overcome gender bias
WHAT Webinar
WHO GE Academy
Resource title Gender Inclusive Recruitment & Selection Toolkit for HR Professionals
Description Toolkit that presents three steps that we recommend for a gender inclusive R&S process. The three steps are 1) Composing an equitable R&S committee, 2) Standardised and gender inclusive R&S processes, and 3) Evaluation, monitoring and reporting.
WHAT Toolkit
WHO EQUAL4EUROPE project
Resource title Report on existing identified opportunities for facilitating the engagement and access to the market of STEM researchers
Description This deliverable describes relevant actions for tackling these key issues at stake for attracting more female students into STEM curricula and facilitating female researchers’ mobility between academic research jobs to the market
WHAT Report (project deliverable)
WHO CALIPER project
Resource title The open, transparent, merit-based recruitment toolkit seen through gender equality lenses. A first attempt
Description A table based on a collective discussion within the GEARING-Roles project on how the OTM-R Checklist could be updated to foster gender equality in the researcher recruitment processes
WHAT Working document
WHO GEARING ROLES project
Resource title ACT on Gender Dimension
Description Why gender dimension is important in research: Integrating sex and gender analysis into research and innovation helps to make better science. Explicitly taking into account the different needs of women and men, girls and boys, and gender diverse people will not only improve the quality of new knowledge, but will also enhance the societal relevance of novel products and services.
WHAT Video
WHO ACT project
Resource title Gender dimension in research
Description This training will give an in-depth introduction to the inclusion of the gender dimension in 4 specific research fields: Mobility, Energy, Human Computer Interaction and Robotics.
WHAT Training
WHO GE Academy
Resource title Gender dimension in research and curriculum: 12 SSH and STEM test institutions
Description This paper is a collection of reports that map gender dimension in the existing research and curricula, conducted by the GARCIA project partners in the following countries: Belgium, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Switzerland. The reports present qualitative and quantitative analyses of the research projects and curricula conducted during the year 2013 at two test departments – one from social sciences and humanities field (SSH) and the other from the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The reports also include the analysis of the gender structure of the project teams, lecturers, and students, if available.
WHAT Working paper
WHO GARCIA project
Resource title Gender in curricula
Description Towards gender sensitive curricula in STEM: identifying needs, building strategies
WHAT Training
WHO GE Academy
Resource title Gender in ICT IST research content – Why and how to integrate
Description A webinar towards the implementation of Gender Equality Plans” on: “Gender in ICT/IST research content: Why and how to integrate a gender (and intersectional) approach in your research projects
WHAT Webinar
WHO EQUAL-IST project
Resource title Introduction | Sex & gender dimension in sciences & technology fields
Description It aims at familiarising viewers with basic concepts and definitions about integrating sex and gender in research content. It will go through the main issues at stake about gender in research. This training addresses people who are not yet familiar with the concept of gender in research.
WHAT Training
WHO GE Academy project
Resource title Methods on how to include gender dimension in research
Description This training provides a mutual learning and exchange: as you are getting inspiration from others. It sensitises about the importance of including the sex and gender dimension in research content and it familiarises with methodologies and approaches aimed at including the sex and gender dimension in research content.
WHAT Training
WHO GE Academy project
Resource title Tools and resources on gender-sensitive teaching methods in higher education
Description Collection of online material that aims at encouraging teaching staff to integrate the gender dimension into their teaching. A variety of information is provided in form of toolboxes, best practice examples, manuals, guidelines and training tools
WHAT Report
WHO BALTIC GENDER project
Resource title Toolkit for integrating Gender-Sensitive Approach into Research and Teaching
Description Toolkit to help researchers integrate gender dimension in their ongoing research and teaching (of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral courses), and to apply while conceiving new projects and students’ curricula
WHAT Toolkit – Working paper
WHO GARCIA project
Resource title Acting against sexual harassment
Description Training that focuses on a) Understanding sexual harassment as an expression of gender violence and power relations, b) Discussing and providing examples of interventions and policies c) Highlighting the importance of embedding sexual harassment policies in institutional structural change
WHAT Training
WHO GE Academy
Resource title Addressing gender-based violence and sexual harassment in academia and research organisations
Description A roundtable addressing topics such as: a) Mutual learning and exchange: getting inspiration from others about how to address gender-based violence(GBV), b) Knowledge exchange: brief about the expressions and forms of GBV in academia, c) Strategies: facilitate approaches aimed at combating/ reducing GBV in academia, d) Tools: address ways to include GBV in a gender+ equality agenda: challenges and pitfalls, e) Tools: exchange on how to address GBV in GEP design and implementation, f) Familiarise with theoretical and practical implications connected to the application of different conceptualisations of GBV to promote institutional change in academic/research institutions
WHAT Virtual roundtable
WHO GE Academy
Resource title E-discussion: Addressing Sexual Harassment in Research Organizations
Description This e-discussion aims to provide recent insights concerning the occurrence of, response to and prevention of sexual harassment in research performing and research funding organizations.
WHAT e-discussion
WHO GenPORT project
Resource title Guidelines for the prevention of sexual harassment, harassment on grounds of sex and psychological harassment
Description A report with precise guidelines, with examples
WHAT Report
WHO TRIGGER project
Resource title Recommendations to prevent and fight sexual harassment in academia
Description A report describing sexual harassment and giving recommendations to prevent it and fight it in academia.
WHAT Report
WHO EGERA project
Resource title Sexual harassment in academia – An international research review
Description Review focusing on (a) existing research reviews on sexual harassment in academia and working life at large, (b) a selection of topranked, peer-reviewed research articles on sexual harassment in academia, (c) all Swedish and other Nordic research publications on sexual harassment in academia, as well as (d) the state of knowledge and methodological challenges of research on prevalence of sexual harassment
WHAT Report
WHO Swedish Research Council
Resource title Gender budgeting in academia
Description An analysis and evaluation of the gender biases in management methods and decision making processes in European academic institutions.
WHAT Working paper
WHO GARCIA project
Resource title Gender budgeting in academia – Toolkit
Description A guide for integrating gender into the financial processes and procedures of academic and scientific institutions
WHAT Toolkit
WHO GARCIA project
Resource title Gender budgeting in G20 countries
Description The paper takes stock of GB practices in G20 countries and benchmarks country performance using a GB index and data gathered from an IMF survey.
WHAT Working paper
WHO International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Resource title Gender budgeting: step-by-step toolkit
Description Toolkit from EIGE providing steps for the implementation of gender budgeting strategies.
WHAT Toolkit
WHO EIGE
Resource title Gender budgeting to challenge gender biases in decision-making of RPOs
Description Report with recommendations for policy on how the use of gender budgeting contribute to gender decision making strategies at RPOs.
WHAT Policy brief
WHO ACT project
Resource title LeTSGEPs Training Programme on Gender Equality, Gender Equality Plans and Gender Budgeting
Description Training materials for implementing partners with 4 modules ranging from Gender Equality to Gender Budgeting, How to develop a Gender Budgeting Process and How to develop a Gender Auditing Report preliminary to the Gender Budgeting Process.
WHAT Training (PPT presentation)
WHO LeTSGEPs project
Resource title State of the art of gender budgeting experiences
Description Effective organisational practices to increase the participation and career advancement of women researchers, improving their working conditions.
WHAT Report (project deliverable)
WHO LeTSGEPs project
Resource title Tackling inequality through gender budgeting. Evidence and models
Description Report that synthesizes evidence on gender budgeting, presenting experiences form national and sub-national governments and civil society actors.
WHAT Report
WHO Wales Centre for Public Policy
Resource title RPO’s Gender Audit and Gender Budget Methodology Report
Description How to develop a Gender Budgeting Process and how to develop a Gender Auditing Report preliminary to the Gender budgeting process
WHAT Report (project deliverable)
WHO LeTSGEPs project
Resource title What is gender budgeting?
Description Video explaining what gender budgeting means in practice and how governments can make it happen.
WHAT Video
WHO EIGE
Resource title What is gender responsive budgeting?
Description The video explains gender responsive budgeting and how it is used to mainstream gender in governance planning and budgeting.
WHAT Video
WHO UN Women
Resource title EQUAL-IST Webinar on gender sensitive communication
Description Presentations on “Gender, language, empowerment” and on the “Available tools for promoting gender sensitive communication”.
WHAT Webinar (PPT presentations)
WHO EQUAL-IST project
Resource title Gender sensitive language
Description A list of successful practices relating to gender-sensitive language, according to R&I peers research
WHAT Good practices
WHO R&I Peers project
Resource title Toolkit on gender-sensitive communication
Description A resource for policymakers, legislators, media and anyone else with an interest in making their communication more inclusive
WHAT Toolkit
WHO EIGE
Resource title PLOTINA LEXICON
Description Definition of the terms most used in gender equality
WHAT Webinar (PPT presentations)
WHO PLOTINA project
Resource title Community of practice co-creation toolkit
Description The toolkit offers methods and practices for members of a Community of Practice to work collaboratively for advancing gender equality
WHAT Toolkit
WHO ACT project
Resource title EFFORTI Toolbox V2.0
Description Evaluation Framework for Promoting Gender Equality in Research and Innovation.
WHAT Toolkit
WHO EFFORTI project
Resource title EQUAL-IST online toolkit
Description An inventory of other toolkits, good practices, tools & guidelines
WHAT Toolkit
WHO EQUAL-IST project
Resource title Gender Equality Audit and Monitoring (GEAM) tool
Description An integrated environment for carrying out survey-based gender equality audits in academic organizations. It comprises a collection of questions that cover most aspects of gender equality in academic organizations, providing high-quality data for designing and implementing gender equality measures and assessing their impact over time.
WHAT Tool
WHO ACT project
Resource title Gender Equality Index
Description This is a very useful resource for any organisation that wish to conduct a quantitative analysis of gender dimensions. In addition, this table can be used as a guideline to implement and track gender equality indicators.
WHAT Tool (Indicators)
WHO EQUAL4EUROPE
Resource title Gender Equality Monitoring Tool and Guidelines for Self-Assessment
Description The report provides concrete guidance for each case with tools and guidelines.
WHAT Report (project deliverable)
WHO TARGET project
Resource title Gender in research
Description Glossary of key concepts for gender equality in research.
WHAT Glossary of terms
WHO EQUAL4EUROPE
Resource title Guidelines to design customized GEPs
Description Guidelines to identify initial priorities of the GEP on the basis of the audits undertaken
WHAT Guidelines/tools (project deliverable)
WHO TARGET project
Resource title How to support Communities of Practice for driving institutional change towards Gender Equality
Description This document presents reflections on the experiences of the facilitators of the communities of practice (CoP) which were established as part of the project ACT. Since the CoP approach is increasingly becoming recognised as a useful way to stimulate practice of and knowledge on institutional change towards gender equality (GE), we provide information on aspects that should be taken into account by policy makers on European, national and institutional level.
WHAT Policy brief
WHO ACT project
Resource title Implementing Gender Equality Plans through an action-research approach: Challenges and resistances
Description Analysing some potential strategies to overcome possible challenges encountered when implementing a GEP and to ensure the success of both gender initiatives and national projects
WHAT Working paper
WHO CHANGE project
Resource title Inventory of key resources
Description The most relevant and up-to-date key resources and training materials needed to feed the training design process
WHAT Toolkit
WHO GE Academy
Resource title Micro Change Agents for Gender Equality: Transforming European Research Performing Organizations
Description The results from this study can be useful when developing gender equality strategies, policies and practices and can also be used to empower gender equality micro change agents that face challenges while trying to implement GEPs and promote structural change in any kind of institution.
WHAT Publication
WHO CHANGE project
Resource title PLOTINA Formative toolkit
Description This Toolkit is for all those Research Performing Organizations (RPOs) and Research Institutions (RFOs) who want to implement gender equality policies and processes in their organizations in order to prevent and overcome gender inequalities and biases
WHAT Toolkit to draft the GEPs
WHO PLOTINA project
Resource title PLOTINA Library of Actions
Description A set of modular and adaptable resources for any RPO at the starting stage in the setting up of GEPS to enable the development, implementation and assessment of self-tailored Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) with innovative and sustainable strategies for Research Performing Organizations (RPOs)
WHAT Tool on list of actions to address gender inequalities
WHO PLOTINA project
Resource title Recommendations for GEP Report
Description Providing GEP implementing institutions with additional insight, and a mapping of possible inspirations for the development of GEPs. Provides institutions with guidance for their GEP preparation.
WHAT Report (project deliverable)
WHO GEARING ROLES project
Resource title Roundtable: How to design a gender sensitive culture
Description A roundtable discussion to share and promote what has been done in different projects to achieve a gender sensitive culture. It will focus on the ‘nuts and bolts’ (tips, recommendations and lessons learned) of what is needed to succeed in designing a gender sensitive culture in your institution.
WHAT Roundtable (webinar)
WHO GENDER-SMART project
Resource title Towards more equal, diverse, and inclusive research
Description intended to raise awareness of the versatile aspects spanning gender equality in the research and innovation (R&I) sector, gathering practitioners operating mainly in countries from Central and Eastern Europe who have committed to the promotion of institutional change to advance gender equality in their organisations.
WHAT Policy brief
WHO ACT project
Resource title Tracking tool for GEPs
Description An excel tool to keep track of the process of setting-up of GEP divided into i) Preliminary steps for adopting a GEP; (ii) The negotiation process; (iii) Designing the GEP; and (iv) Dissemination and engaging key stakeholders.
WHAT Tool
WHO EQUAL4EUROPE project
Resource title Gender Equality in Academia and Research – GEAR Tool
Description The Gender Equality in Academia and Research (GEAR) tool provides universities and research organisations with practical advice and tools through all stages of institutional change, from setting up a gender equality plan to evaluating its real impact.
WHAT Tool
WHO EIGE
Resource title Gendered innovations. How inclusive analysis contributes to research and innovation
Description This factsheet presents key findings from the EC policy report “Gendered Innovations 2: How inclusive analysis contributes to research and innovation”
WHAT Factsheet
WHO European Commission (EC)
Resource title Gendered innovations 2. How inclusive analysis contributes to research and innovation: policy review
Description A policy review that highlights the results of the expert group and contains definitions of terms and methods relating to sex, gender and intersectional analysis, interdisciplinary case studies displaying how to integrate the gender dimension into various fields of research and innovation, as well as concrete policy recommendations.
WHAT Report
WHO European Commission (EC)
Resource title SHE Figures 2021
Description Gender in research and innovation: statistics and indicators
WHAT Report
WHO EU Publications