First COST Connect

on advancing gender equality!

On 29 April 2021, the first-ever COST Connect on advancing gender equality in research and innovation was organized, bringing together a wide diversity of ambassadors of gender equality, including researchers and innovators from COST Actions and European Union policy stakeholders. The workshop contributed to the ongoing debate on this topic and offered a platform for discussion and networking between participants.

Gender equality in Research and Innovation
As a core value of the European Union, gender equality is a key principle to strive for in European research and innovation. In order to take scientific excellence to the next level and deliver science-based solutions to the many urgent and pressing global challenges, it is essential to fully tap into the European talent pool of researchers and innovators. This means adopting an inclusive approach whereby all efforts are made to close the gender gap and ensure that women have the opportunity to develop their talents fully.

Advancing gender equality in research and innovation is fully embedded as a key objective in the European Union gender equality policy. While significant progress has been made over the last decades, the state of play in the EU demonstrates that we are still a long way from achieving full gender equality. Across Europe, the numbers have increased over the last few years (women are indeed a majority amongst Ph.D. graduates), however, only a third of women are scientists, a phenomenon especially visible in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) where women are even less represented.