"This Charter is addressed to universities, research performing organisations and research funding organisations, who are invited to: endorse it; make a public commitment to the principles of gender equality and diversity; and implement the principles set out in the Charter.
This Charter was developed by SAGE (Systemic Action for Gender Equality), an EU Horizon 2020 funded project. SAGE devises and implements interventions to advance gender equality in seven universities, acknowledging that despite the gender balance in holders of PhD degrees and in research posts across Europe, men are more likely to reach top level positions in research and academia.
Gender equality and diversity are at the heart of contemporary democracies. Under-represented groups have been held back in their contributions by institutions that have failed to harness the diversity of their talents. Evidence shows that research performance is limited by such inequalities, and this negatively impacts on innovation and on society at large. The introduction of fairer, more equitable interventions, is an integral part of the effort to democratize institutions and ensure more comprehensive and balanced participation. Gender equality and diversity require more inclusive, open and democratic institutions, that guarantee fair access and non-discrimination. Endorsing the SAGE Charter means supporting structural, cultural and political change to eradicate sexism, bias (conscious and unconscious) and other forms of discrimination in research and higher education, and advancing an intersectional and inclusive concept of gender.
Acknowledging the diverse constitution of our societies and striving to maintain that same diversity among academic, professional and support staff, the student body, and institutional governance structures, we are committed to:
- Improving gender balance at all levels of academic careers, in institutional governance and decision making positions, and among public and highly visible roles and functions;
- Implementing Human Resources practices that attract and promote the best talents in all their diversity that do not discriminate on the basis of gender or other grounds;
- Eliminating the gender pay gap;
- Seeking diversity and gender equality in research opportunities and funding;
- Achieving gender balance and fairness in evaluation panels for grants, institutional and research projects;
- Mainstreaming gender equality awareness and best practice in the daily operations of our institutions;
- Embedding gender equality and diversity in the strategy statements of our institutions;
- Promoting family-friendly policies and work-life balance;
- Advancing gender studies across the disciplines to produce knowledge that fosters cultural, social and political change in gender norms;
- Sharing knowledge about gender equality and diversity across our institutions and embedding gender equality and diversity in the training of academic and professional staff;
- Incorporating gender-sensitive practices, processes and procedures in research, while addressing barriers to equal participation of all genders in research and decision making;
- Eradicating bullying, sexual and moral harassment from our institutions
"A consortium of 7 universities constitutes the SAGE partnership: Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (Coordinator), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal, International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kadir Has University, Turkey, Sciences Po Bordeaux, France, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Italy, and Queen’s University Belfast, UK "