8 ways Sciences Po acts to advance gender equality

Not just in the event of Women’s History Month but throughout the entire year, Sciences Po takes measures to advance gender equality. Here are 8 ways Sciences Po takes action to promote gender equality in the university.

HeForShe

1 - Our President, Frédéric Mion, represents Sciences Po as a HeForShe University Champion, collecting solutions from the students themselves to help us pursue ambitious targets.

Raising students’ awareness

2 - We train student associations and promote parity at the governance level. The Student Life Charter (pdf, 438kb) serves as a reference to the principles of gender equality, and is sent out to all faculty and students to ensure equality in the classroom and on campus.
3 - We conduct regular professional workshops and awareness campaigns on everyday sexism and sexual respect. We also provide walls for free-expression, and hold forums on speaking up about sexual harassment.

Tools and guides to foster a culture of equality

4 - At the start of each academic semester, recommendations are sent out to all faculty to ensure equality in the classroom. 
5 - A sexual harassment monitoring unit was set up in 2015 to fight sexual violence and create an environment of sexual respect throughout the Sciences Po community.
6 - A Non-Sexist Communication Charter has been in application since 2016, and staff are asked to follow a Guide to Inclusive and Gender-Respectful Writing.

Appropriate hiring practices

7 - Specific training workshops have been put into place for male and female students to better understand gender inequalities at work and train on core career skills: assertiveness, salary negotiation, work-life balance and public speaking.
8 - We have an exemplary gender-balanced governance with now 6 women out of 13 members on the Sciences Po Executive Committee. It is an obligation that the selection committees for the recruitment of permanent faculty be gender-balanced. Academic coordinators are made aware of the 40% gender balance target when hiring temporary teaching staff.