Laima Andrikiene MEP. Role of women in European science and research: has the glass ceiling been broken?

International Conference hosted by MEP Laima Andrikienė and organised in collaboration with the European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS) will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels on the 6th of September. Established in 2005, EPWS is an umbrella association of networks of women scientists and of organisations promoting women in science and research across Europe. As the voice of women scientists in the European research policy debate, EPWS represents more than 12 000 researchers.

The Conference co-sponsored by the EPP Group of the European Parliament will focus on women’s careers in science: ”From Resolution to Realisation: The Impact of the European Parliament Resolution of 9.9.2015 on Women's Careers in Science and University.” Participants of the Conference are to debate and find answers to the following questions: What do academia and its stakeholders need to do in order to ensure that talented and motivated women scientists get the chance to participate in shaping the research agenda of societies today? How can the representation of women among future researchers in all academic fields, including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), be achieved? How can university careers be made more secure and attractive to retain the qualitative potential of women researchers?

During the Conference, the current EU policy regarding women in science will be introduced by Prof. Barbara Kudrycka MEP and the representatives of DG Research and Innovation, and the impact of the EP resolution of 2015 in selected realms will be assessed by participants of the gender-related EU projects as well as by EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality). During the following roundtable discussion, Prof. Jean-Pierre Bourguignon (President, ERC), Dr. Katrien Maes (Chief Policy Officer, LERU), Prof. Gulsun Saglamer (President, EWORA), and Prof. Dalia Šatkovskienė (President, BASNET Forum) will share their visions on women careers in science and university.

On September 9, 2015 European Parliament adopted its resolution on women's careers in science and universities. Now, two years later, it is time to check if things have progressed. Women as well as men start equally out on life science careers, but in the end many more men are going on to take senior academic positions. Nevertheless, for European science and research it is important that every gifted and hard working scientist has the possibility for the highest possible career determined not by gender, but by success in the respective field.

More information:

Office of Dr. Laima Andrikienė MEP

European Parliament

laimaliucija.andrikiene-office@europarl.europa.eu

0032 2 28 47550