Gender Equality

The Gender Equality policy is the outcome of a two-year-long study and comprehensive consultations with all university stakeholders. We undertook a rigorous, research-driven analysis to identify unconscious bias and actions to achieve sustainable gender equality through systemic change. The Gender Equality audit led from January to April 2019 sought to understand how the University compares with similar universities in terms of the gender composition of staff members, along with research into staff members’ own perceptions and experiences of gender equality.

The audit and the thorough discussions that followed served as the basis for the present Gender Equality policy (PDF).

Policy areas

• Awareness

  Raising awareness promotes and encourages a general understanding of gender-related challenges at the University and beyond. To do so, the University will provide tools and training for staff and produce and publish yearly gender-disaggregated statistics.

• Staff Composition

  The University is committed to removing any discriminatory barrier in recruitment, retention, and career opportunities, to ensure the optimal use of talents. This will be taken forward over the Four-Year plan by gender-proofing recruitment, retention, and promotion procedures to improve staff gender balance, as well as addressing gender imbalances in decision-making processes.

• Work life Balance

  During the Four-Year plan, the University aims to improve the balance between work and caring responsibilities, so that staff members, with no distinction of gender or marital status, with parenting or other primary caring responsibilities, are not disadvantaged in their daily working life and career development. As part of this, further childcare services and better access to information on family leave will be explored.

• Workplace climate

  The University will maintain and reinforce its strong commitment to zero tolerance of harassment, mobbing, or any form of discrimination in any of its activities, through developing systems for confidential reporting, dispute resolution transparent and straightforward procedure for a prompt and effective review and investigation of harassment or bullying complaints.

• Communication

  The University will over the Four-Year plan promote diversity and inclusivity in interpersonal communication among staff members and students, to avoid discriminatory and gendered words and expressions, gendered role titles and stereotypes.

• Teaching and research

  The development and the transmission of knowledge related to gender can increase awareness of inequalities and their multidimensional adverse effects, creating the space for actions to tackle these issues. As such, the University will explore building teaching programmes and seminars related to gender studies and envisages contributing to gender research with possible professorial positions in gender-related research fields.

The implementation measures for the Gender Policy for 2020-2025 define the Gender Equality Plan of the University for this period. The measures, hence the plan, were approved by the Board of Governors on 21 May 2021.

The main measures being implemented are:

• Gender-disaggregated Statistics
• Preferred Name
• ADVANCE mentoring programme
• Anne Beffort Positions
• Awareness Campaigns and Networking Events, such as Women Leaders
• Workplace climate
• Gender-inclusive language guidelines
• Established an LGBT+ Taskforce
• Family-Friendly Initiative: Tailored support for parents, including: Procedures enabling parent researchers to attend international conferences, and On-site childcare solutions for conferences organized by the University (more information on the Intranet)

The full document can be consulted here:

• Gender equality Plan 2020-2025

In 2020, we ran the first university-wide gender equality audit. The audit aimed to provide a robust evidence base to help identify areas where the university was performing well regarding gender equality, and specific areas that needed more attention or resources. This research was used to feed into the university’s gender equality policy.

A second survey is currently being carried out. To ensure proper monitoring of the impact of the measures and to inform the next action plan, we plan to assess the staff perceptions at five-year intervals.

We survey was sent to all staff members working at the institution, including both academic and administrative staff. Staff were asked about seven main areas related to gender equality at the University:

• Perceptions of the University and work-life
• Bullying, harassment and mobbing
• Unconscious bias and discrimination in recruitment and promotions
• Career pathways
• Time spent on activities
• Training
• Caring responsibilities

The identity characteristics of staff members at the University of Luxembourg were benchmarked against a selection of comparable universities in the UK, using data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

• Results of the 2020 Gender Audit