Conclusion and results of the H2020 project SPEAR

16/05/2023

After more than four years of intensive work, the H2020 project SPEAR came to a close in April 2023. SPEAR promoted gender equality in European academia by implementing innovative and sustainable Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) in nine Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) across Europe.

  Graphic of SPEAR Project Overview

The eleven project partners from nine European countries - for RWTH the IGaD team was actively involved in the project - have developed useful resources and virtual learning materials based on the extensive practical experience and collective knowledge to support gender equality practitioners, European and national policy makers and other stakeholders in implementing cultural and structural change. The aim is to further strengthen equality, diversity and inclusivity in European academia and to promote a broader democratic agenda.

SPEAR's Cycle of Policy Reflections is an important component of the project's results (available at: https://gender-spear.eu/resources). Four documents bring together voices, experiences and expertise of experts and practitioners from different national and organisational contexts on four related areas of gender equality work. The aim is to strengthen ongoing policy developments towards sustainable and inclusive gender equality in academia. The four areas are:

  1. Careers in Academia: Recruitment, promotion, career development
  2. Work- and study environment and sexism in Academia
  3. Gender mainstreaming and Gender Equality Plans
  4. Integration of the Gender+ Dimension in research, innovation and teaching

Moreover, the project has developed numerous resources and virtual learning materials to support gender equality practitioners in the effective and sustainable implementation of gender equality objectives and measures. SPEAR's COMPASS is a specific methodology developed to promote Creative, Open, Mitigating, Processual, Accountable, SMART and Sustainable change processes.

The results of the SPEAR project are publicly available and summarised in a press release (in English): https://gender-spear.eu/news/63/press-release-promoting-gender-equality-in-european-academia-since-2019