Genie - Gender Initiative for Excellence

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Two students sitting outdoors talking

Chalmers’ future success will rely on our ability to recruit and develop outstanding educators and researchers of both genders. We aim for a gender balanced faculty by analysing and improving our academic culture, procedures and leadership, and through recruitment and support of female faculty. We are investing SEK 300 million over ten years in gender equality work to make Chalmers more attractive and successful.

Background and motivation for Genie

The initiative is funded by the Chalmers University of Technology Foundation and will run from January 2019 through 2028. As far as is known to Chalmers, this is by far the largest individual investment in gender equality made by any university.

Overall goals

The overall goals of the project:

  • Increase the proportion of female faculty.
  • Remove the structural and cultural obstacles that hamper women’s careers.
  • Create a working environment that is diverse, inclusive and supportive of excellence in research and teaching.

Work by Genie so far has mainly consisted of two parts: concrete and tailored action plans, to achieve long-term cultural and structural change in the departments, and direct support to increase the fraction of females in the faculty. Future work will emphasise emphasize leadership development at all levels, and central efforts to support researchers and build excellent environments.

Concrete action for gender equality work

The work includes analyzing the culture, systems and processes in each department. Statistics divided into men and women will be used to identify and address imbalances. Genie’s management will provide each department’s leadership group with tailor-made activities that aim to increase gender equality.

Part of Genie’s budget will be used to support the department's recruitment of top female researchers. They will not only strengthen Chalmers with their research, but they will also be important role models for junior researchers and students.

During the initial phase, Genie investigated the current situation in each department and made concrete plans for the near future. Several activities, such as regularly occurring seminars, are arranged to raise awareness and knowledge on gender equality issues throughout campus. Genie also funded research/teaching projects that contribute to gender equality, as well as a successful visiting researcher programme.

Current

Genie visiting researcher programme

Aims to improve gender balance in a department or division, to provide role models and international contacts.

Genie - Current projects and reports

On this page, we gather activities and happenings connected to Genie and equality.

Management group, steering committee and advisory board

Genie is led by a management group consisting of a leader and a coordinator. The initiative also has a steering committee and an advisory board. The advisory board consists of external advisers with experience in improving faculty gender balance and researchers in gender studies. You're always welcome to contact us via email genie@chalmers.se.

Contact

Maria Saline
  • Project Leader, Management and General University Support, Chalmers Operations Support
Paul Walton

Steering committee

  • Maria Elmquist - Deputy President
  • Angela Hillemyr - Head of Human Resources
  • Anders Johansson - Senior Lecturer in Engineering Education Research,
    Department of Communication and Learning in Science
  • Thomas Nilsson - Head of Department of Physics
  • Isabelle Jarl - President of Chalmers student union

Advisory board

  • Lena Gustafsson - Chair of committee, Professor emerita and former First Vice President at Chalmers
  • Liisa Husu - Professor in gender studies at Örebro University, Sweden
  • Paul Walton - Professor in chemistry at University of York, United Kingdom
  • Peter Sesoft - Head of computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Genie articles and filmed seminars

Genie has got attention in the media, both national and international. On this page we've gathered some of what has been written about Genie as well as seminars and lectures.

Resources on gender equality

Genie has gathered articles, websites and reports in the field of gender (in-)equality in academia. Here you can find arguments, data, rationales and suggested solutions. Many web resources are multifaceted, and the reports state facts and figures from all over the world and all academic subjects.