UOC signs Joint Declaration on Gender Equality in Higher Education, Research and Innovation

The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has signed the Joint Declaration on Gender Equality in Higher Education, Research and Innovation, reaffirming its commitment to advancing gender equality in Europe. This declaration brings together European institutions that have received the European Commission's EU Award for Gender Equality Champions, which showcases universities and research organizations that have achieved outstanding results in implementing gender equality policies.

The goal is to strengthen gender equality at an institutional level, ensure the long-term sustainability of inclusive equality policies across Europe, and promote gender mainstreaming in international cooperation. The declaration states: "In today's context, science is more important than ever in addressing the global challenges facing our societies. Achieving inclusive gender equality in higher education, research and innovation is a key element in successfully addressing these challenges." It also underlines the need to continue bolstering equality policies, and European and international cooperation in this area.

Manel Jiménez, UOC Vice Rector for Alliances, Community and Culture, stressed that "the great challenges in terms of equality cannot be tackled in isolation: they require alliances, trust, and cooperation between institutions capable of learning from one another and mutually driving lasting structural changes. For the UOC, signing this joint declaration means actively contributing to a European Knowledge Area that is more inclusive, diverse, and committed to social transformation through higher education and research".

The UOC's signing of the declaration marks another step forward in its long-standing commitment to gender equality, recognized in February in the sustainable category for the implementation of its Gender Equality Plan, led by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit. Through this initiative, the university is strengthening its presence in European forums and networks working to advance equality policies, share experiences and promote joint action in higher education, research and innovation.

Equality policies to transform research and universities

In line with the Ljubljana Declaration on Gender Equality in Research and Innovation adopted in 2021, the text highlights progress made in recent years through equality plans developed by European universities and research centres, support from top-level management and the adoption of measures to address structural and cultural inequalities.

These measures include transparent recruitment and promotion practices, the promotion of role models, gender-sensitive training, mentoring programmes, networking opportunities, the prevention of gender-based violence and actions to support work–life balance.

In the case of the UOC, this approach is reflected in the university-wide implementation of the award-winning Gender Equality Plan 2020-2025 and the recently recently approved Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2026-2029, which mainstreams gender equality in the workplace, teaching, research and governance, as well as in its vision of gender equality as a cross-cutting governance principle and a tool for institutional transformation. The declaration also underlines the need to move towards inclusive equality policies from an intersectional perspective, taking into account how gender inequalities intersect with discrimination related to origin, socioeconomic status, disability, age or sexual orientation.

In the case of the UOC, this approach connects with the cross-cutting implementation of the award-winning Gender Equality Plan 2020-2025 and the recently approved Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2026-2029, .

European cooperation as a driver of change

The declaration calls for European and international cooperation between higher education, research and innovation institutions in order to share good practices and strengthen equality policies. This collaborative approach is also reflected in European initiatives such as OpenEU, the alliance of open and distance universities coordinated by the UOC. The UOC has led the development of the alliance's Gender Equality Plan, bringing its institutional experience to a wider European context.

Alongside the UOC, the signatories also include the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), INSTRUCT-ERIC, Bielefeld University (UNI-BIELEFELD), Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI), the Karolinska Institute (KI), Maynooth University (MU), RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (RCSI), South East Technological University (SETU), Charles University (CUNI), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Cork (UCC), the University of Gdańsk (UG), Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and Rovira i Virgili University.