10 measures to advance gender equality at university

In 2010, Sciences Po created PRESAGE, a gender studies and research programme. This trailblazing initiative now forms part of a comprehensive gender equality action plan. The pioneering nature of this commitment was recognised by the UN Women HeForShe programme, which named Sciences Po President Frédéric Mion as one of 10 university IMPACT champions for gender equality worldwide. Following the recent release of the Second HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 University Parity Report, we look at the 10 measures Sciences Po has been testing to bring about positive change in mentalities and practices.

Raising students’ awareness

1 - We are training student associations and promoting parity at governance level. The Student Life Charter  now refers to the principles of gender equality.

2 - We conduct regular awareness-raising activities on everyday sexism: free-expression walls, forum theatre on sexual harassment, etc. Two initiatives were held in 2016 to propose measures to combat sexual violence in higher education.

3 - At the start of the 2017 academic year, 10 recommendations (pdf, 139 Kb) were sent out to all faculty to ensure equality in the classroom.

Tools and guides to foster a culture of equality

4 - A sexual harassment monitoring unit was set up in 2015 to raise awareness throughout the Sciences Po community about sexist acts and sexual violence, with the help of this guide (pdf, 89 Kb).

5 - A Non-Sexist Communication Charter has been in application since 2016, and staff are asked to follow a Guide to Inclusive Writing

6 - A network of gender equality advisors is active in each of Sciences Po’s divisions.

Appropriate hiring practices

7 - Women students can participate in training workshops (fr) on core career skills: assertiveness, wage negotiation, work-life balance and public speaking.

8 - The 13-member Sciences Po Executive Committee now includes five women – soon to be six.

9 - Selection committees for the recruitment of permanent faculty must be gender-balanced. We have made all academic coordinators aware of the 40% gender balance target when hiring temporary teaching staff.

10 - A charter to restrict work-related email after-hours is in place to promote a better work-life balance, and a campaign has been conducted to encourage men to take their paternity leave

HeForShe

Sciences Po charts its progress in the Second HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 University Parity Report released on 20 September. Marking three years of the HeForShe programme, UN Women held a report launch on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Sciences Po President Frédéric Mion was there. “Last year, HeForShe enabled the ten participating universities [including Sciences Po] to collect thirty solutions from the students themselves, which is a great source of satisfaction for us”, he said. “This collective effort helps us pursue the ambitious targets we have set ourselves.”