This November 3 and 4 the University of Concepcion It will be in charge of receiving the executing teams of the InES Gender projects at the national level to take stock and project the challenges to advance towards reducing the gender gaps in R&D&i&e in higher education institutions.
The execution of these projects began at the end of 2021 when thirteen universities nationwide were awarded the Innovation in Higher Education (InES) Gender funded by the National Research and Development Agency (ANID) of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Research.
This milestone marks a crucial moment for the existing challenges in the areas of research, development, innovation and entrepreneurship, since women currently represent 51% of undergraduate enrollment. However, only 34% of people with doctorates who do research at universities are women, according to the study carried out by the Office of Studies and Statistics, Public Policy Division of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation (2022).
In this regard, the Seremi de Ciencia de la Macrozona Centro Sur, Sofía Valenzuela commented that “today, on average, 70% of research in the region is led by men, therefore there is a lot of work to do to reach 50/ fifty. Universities have a primary role in supporting researchers which, many times, are affected by teaching, administrative or maternity loads. Much progress needs to be made in co-responsibility. Even after the pandemic we went back nearly 36 years to eliminate the gender gap, so now it is estimated that in 136 more years we will be able to achieve equality.”
Likewise, the Rector of the University of Concepción, Dr Carlos Saavedragave his opinion regarding the execution of the InES Gender Project in the university community, adding that:
“The execution of the project at the University of Concepción is extremely relevant, focusing on reducing gender gaps in the various research areas developed in the different academic units. In this sense, as stated in the Institutional Strategic Plan (PEI 2021-2030). Equity, inclusion and social responsibility are values of university management, that is, they are qualities and orientations that the University wishes to strengthen. With this, our House of Studies places the same objectives as the InES Gender Project at the center of its institutional work, placing its management and commitment together with other complementary areas”, he stated.
Regarding the projection of each InES Gender, the director of the project at the University of Concepción, Dr. Alejandra Brito Peña He commented that by 2023 it is expected to consolidate certain specific actions in each study house, which have their own seal granted by each project. However, regarding the planning and execution during the year 2023 at the university, she added that: “We have new calls to promote research with a gender approach and the leadership of women in research. In addition, the revision of our Manual of Good Practices in R&D&i&e. It will be a year of a lot of work, which will deliver shared solutions thanks to the collection of experiences from academics and academics”.
The III Meeting of the InES Gender Network ends this Friday, November 4 with an activity of reflection and projection of the various objectives of each project at the national level together with the coordination of the network, delivering action guidelines for the reduction of gender gaps in science, which will be executed during 2023 in all universities awarded.
