A community of practice approach to improving gender equality in research

Bringing together the latest research among various communities of practice (disciplinary and place based as well as thematically organised), this volume reflects upon the knowledge, experience and practice gained through taking a unique community of practice approach to fostering gender equality in the sectors of research and innovation, and higher education in Europe and beyond. Based on research funded by the European Union, it considers how inter-organisational collaboration can foster change for gender equality through sharing of experiences of Gender Equality Plan implementation and examining the role of measures such as change-monitoring systems. As such, it will appeal to social scientists with interests in organisational change, the sociology of work and gender equality.

1. Introduction: Reflecting on a Community of Practice approach to institutional change for a greater gender equality in R&I and HE - Policy and practice 2. Can a Community of Practice foster institutional change for gender equality?: Conceptualising 'Community of Political Practice' 3. The development of the Gender Equality Audit and Monitoring survey 4. Co-creation Methods for Communities of Practice: Towards institutional change 5. Communities of Practice and gender equality: Fostering structural change in research and academia in Central and Eastern Europe 6. Alternative infrastructure for gender equality in academic institutions in Slovenia: Community of Practice approach 7. Disciplinary Communities of Practice for a greater gender equality in physics & life sciences 8. A gender budgeting Community of Practice and targeted implementation projects: A potential to challenge gender biases in decision-making in research organisations? 9. Sustainability and gender equality: A co-creation and Communities of Practice approach 10. Benefits and limits of a CoP approach to promote gender equality in R&I 11. Scaling up: From Communities of Practice to the three ERA gender equality and mainstreaming objectives: careers, decision-making and integrating the gender dimension into research and educational content 12. Concluding remarks: Towards Communities of Practice for greater gender equality