Gender Equality Plans Research Articles

Towards Gender Equality in Hungarian Universities

Women's participation in higher positions in education, particularly in higher education, is a critical issue. Governments are working toward improving gender equality in education, as well as other aspects of the issue such as economics, social issues, and work. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence gender equality at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. To accomplish the aim, two research questions were set up: How do the employees perceive gender equality at BME, and what factors have an impact on gender equality? Plus, what does the BME Gender Equality Plan reveal about workplace equality and policies, and how is the university working towards achieving gender equality?The study relied on qualitative methods, such as interviews and data analysis of the gender equality plan 2022-2025 and its intervention areas. The study explored the university background and experiences toward achieving gender equality, and the challenges encountered. The interviews revealed some of the challenges that the participants have faced regarding equal pay, promotion, and research opportunities. The evidence indicates that there is an underrepresentation of women in managerial and teaching positions, while there is an overrepresentation in administration positions. This can be attributed to the lack of formal policies that aim to promote gender equality, culture, and the lack of appropriate communication channels. However, based on the Gender Equality Plan 2022-2025, the university aims towards achieving gender equality within all faculties.

GENDER EQUALITY PLAN FOR R&I. OBSERVATIONS BASED ON THE INITIAL EXPERIENCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SILESIA IN KATOWICE

The European Union has for many years been firmly committed to promoting gender equality in research and innovation (R&I). Despite this, the sector is still characterised by the persistence of structural barriers that prevent underrepresented groups from developing equally. To counteract this, those applying for Horizon Europe funding today must have a Gender Equality Plan (GEP). This study aims to present the theoretical and practical issues related to developing and implementing a Gender Equality Plan in R&I. However, this issue poses a challenge for many R&I entities (especially in Poland). The plan should, on the one hand, meet the requirements of the European Commission and, on the other, be a specific strategy designed to meet particular needs. Thus, the article explains: what precisely a GEP is and, what elements it should contain, how to create such a plan step by step, the EU recommendations in this respect are confronted with the first experiences of the University of Silesia in Katowice, and finally, it proves that a GEP is a proactive measure aimed at eliminating gender discrimination and identifying potential violations. At the same time, if taken seriously, it also can contribute to the construction and development of a real equal treatment policy in a workplace such as an R&I entity. Due to the rather practical (sofar) aspect of the issue, the article is primarily based on EU and national documents (both binding and soft, strategic). At the same time, the literature analysis is only complementary.

Steps towards the Integration of the Gender and Sex Dimension in R&I: The Case of a Public University

Gender equality has been placed at the centre of European research policy recently. The inclusion of gender and sex considerations into research and innovation (R&I) is an essential factor for scientific excellence and a key requirement for producing knowledge that can benefit society as a whole. However, the adoption of a gender/sex dimension is still a problematic issue in several Research Performance Organisations (RPOs) of European Union (EU) countries. Through the experience of implementing a gender equality plan (GEP) within the scope of a Horizon 2020 (H2020) project at a public Portuguese university (PPU), this study aims to explore the EU policies’ impact on the integration of the gender dimension in research, considering both institutional policies and scientific outputs. To achieve the purpose of the study, a mixed approach that combines a qualitative analysis of institutional documents and data collected through interviews with a quantitative analysis of secondary data is used. The implementation of the H2020 project brought the issue of gender inequality to the institutional agenda of the PPU under study and the formalisation of the GEP marked a transition point towards an integrated and intersectional approach that embraces gender dimension concerns in R&I. This transition coincided with a period characterised by an increase in the scientific outputs incorporating the ‘gender/sex dimension’, which may highlight the importance of European policies in stimulating and accelerating the introduction of the gender dimension in scientific practices in RPOs.

План за джендър равенство в научните изследвания – ново изискване на Рамковата програма „Хоризонт Европа“

In the research sphere, gender equality is among the core values, criteria and principles for building the new European Research Area. The European Union is constantly concerned with putting this principle into practice by ensuring equal opportunities for women and men and eliminating existing imbalances and distinctions. To this end, a new requirement is introduced for submitting validated gender equality plans in organisations applying for projects under the current Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation covering 2021-2027. This study aims to: (a) outline the fulfilment of this criterion for participation in the programme by academic institutions in Bulgaria; (b) assess the conformity of the planned areas of intervention with the current state of gender differences in research in Bulgaria; (c) raise the awareness and sensitivity of academic staff to this issue given current European regulations.

Quantifying for Qualifying: A Framework for Assessing Gender Equality in Higher Education Institutions

The objective of this study is to present the development of a framework for assessing gender inequality in higher education institutions (HEIs) which reveals how this academic environment is progressing in terms of gender balance. It proposes a multi-dimension-based index comprised by five dimensions—Empowerment, Education, Health, Violence, and Time. The mathematical model used enables the user to assign a weight value to each dimension, customizing the results according to the institution addressed. The paper is based on a post-doctoral research project which analyzed six globally recognized indexes (Gender Inequality Index; Global Gender Gap Index; Women, Business, and Law Index; Gender Equality Index; Social Institutions Global Index; Women Empowerment Principles) to construct a new framework for gender inequality evaluation tailored for HEIs. It used a Laplace–Gauss-based scale. The research included an experiment of concrete application to two instiutions, one in Europe and the other in South America. While the first one had a Gender Equality Plan, the second had not. The analysis was successfully conducted in both institutions. The two institutions presented general results above 60%. These results need to be read in the specific context of each university. The Gender Equality in Higher Education Institutions Index (GEHEI) provides a user-friendly way of checking the existence of gender inequality, summarized into a single number but able to be detailed in several levels and to provide insight into progression over time. The handling of the GEHEI tool is also very straightforward. The proposal is designed to be used in different HEIs; it is recommended that researchers customize the weights of the dimensions according to their relevance in the specific organization. This paper provides a new methodological model to measure gender inequality in HEIs based on easy-to-obtain data, distinguishing itself from global indexes by its ease of application and interpretation.

Representation of Women in Slovak Science and Research: An Analysis Based on the CRIS System Data

The article presents an intention to examine the possibilities of processing data on the representation of women in science and research from data collected in Slovakia as part of the Gender Equality Plan. The methodology follows the declared intention and consists of three steps. The first step is the identification of sources of sex-disaggregated data from the field of science and research in the Slovak Republic. Then follows the examination of the state of the art of tracking data in the identified data sources. The analysis of available data and the processing of the results is the next step. The share of women in Slovak science and research is demonstrated by the composition of project teams and by the statistical data of the supplementary statistical survey of research and development potential, which are collected through the national information system for research, development, and innovation, named SK CRIS. The result is a detailed analysis of the position of women in Slovak science and research, classified by research area and academic career stage. Based on the research conducted and the results achieved, we underline the importance of building national information systems in science and research. Data from these systems can significantly contribute to the creation and parameterization of science policy, including the principles of gender equality.

To be assertive or not to be assertive: That is the question! Students' reactions to sexual harassment in academia.

IntroductionIn the literature, no integrated definition of sexual harassment (SH) occurs but there is clear unanimity about SH being offensive, humiliating, and intimidating behavior. Within academic settings, SH has severe negative effects on students' physical or emotional wellbeing as well as on their ability to succeed academically.MethodsThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sex, gender roles, and the ways to manage SH (assertive and nonassertive reactions) in university students. It was hypothesized that female students would report more nonassertive reactions compared to male students. In addition, following the Bem theory on gender roles and using the self-report tool by the same author, it is hypothesized that female and male students, who are classified as feminine, will report more nonassertive responses, whereas male and female students, who are classified as masculine, will report more assertive responses. Our hypothesis was tested with a sample of 1,415 university students (593 men, 41.9%, and 822 women, 58.1%) who completed a questionnaire approved by the local ethical review board for research from the end of January 2019 to the first half of February 2019.ResultsContrary to our hypothesis, results showed that women react more than men in both assertive and nonassertive modalities. In addition, our results confirmed the main effect of both sex and gender roles on students' assertive and nonassertive reactions to SH in academia.ConclusionEducational programs about SH may prove useful in preventing its occurrence. Gender equality plans in academia can improve a nonsexist and safe environment for students. It is urgent to improve transparency and accountability of policies on the management of SH: academic institutions need to formulate a procedure to facilitate SH reporting, considering the sensitive balance of confidentiality and transparency issues. Support for the victims (social services, healthcare, legal representation, and advice concerning career/professional development) must be included.

Project_Gender Action Plans in Academia

Abstract: Research on the implementation of positive actions and gender mainstreaming in academia reveals a fragmented patchwork in adopting strategies and policies. Even when national policies guarantee uniformity in adopting Gender Equality Plans (GEPs), this does not always lead to substantial changes in research and innovation teams and management structures.
 Our study was inspired by the EU's requirement that research and innovation projects submitted to calls for proposal in the Sixth Framework Program (2002-2006) include a Gender Action Plan (GAP), covering all measures and activities promoting gender equality within each project and explaining gender issues associated with the project's subject matter. Although the requirement has been discontinued in the following Framework Programmes, the idea of a GAP at the project level raised interest in the scientific community.
 Our article reports on the roadmap and the construction phases to implement a Gender Action Plan at the project level (P-GAP). A new European project funded under the Erasmus+ European Universities initiative has been identified as a case study for its characteristic of involving different institutional areas: teaching, research and third mission. The P-GAP addresses all project activities, thus escaping the boundaries set by the siloed work package structure.
 By focusing on micro-actions at the project level, the P-GAP mirrors macro-actions at the organisational level. The purpose of the initiative was to understand whether activities inspired by GEPs but implemented at the project level encounter obstacles and resistance similar to those challenging the implementation of GEPs at the institutional level. By stimulating faculty, research, management, and administrative staff to promote gender equality and diversity, it can test challenges and difficulties, leading those involved in the micro-actions to become more assertive and proactive in transferring equality, diversity, and inclusion methods and strategies to institutional GEPs and academia at large.
 Partners' attitudes toward building the P-GAP were positive: they showed interest in the idea, contributed actively to plan several micro-actions and saw the potential to influence existing or new institutional GEPs indirectly.

When Gender Equality in Academia Takes a Toll on Agency and Well-being

The present paper aims to investigate the limits surrounding the implementation of gender equality in academia and the correlation between gender measures and the consequences on personal well-being. Despite the efforts to build more inclusive and equal environments, fatigue seems to affect all the university’s components, especially regarding the uncertainties of an academic career, seen as stressful, delusional, impossible to conciliate with motherhood. Even appropriate measures cannot deal with the fatigue of what is considered a “double presence”: they only allow complying with those standards. Moreover, emotional issues are deriving from choices seen as gender deviant, like not being the major caregiver in the family, and the personal agency is often diminished. The purpose of this study is to show how gender measures in universities are not as neutral and unambiguous as they may seem, but rather fall into one of four approaches to gender inequality itself. These four approaches can be identified as neoliberalism, gender mainstreaming, work-life balance, and the capabilities approach. Agency and well-being could be seen as pivotal aspects and the mix of those elements in each approach results in a different level of fatigue, which, along with stress and mental charge, could play a major role in diminishing the effectiveness of gender equality measures. The significance of this four-sided framework lies in the possibility to reclassify every single gender equality measure and the data collected to support it into one of the four approaches, alongside the opportunity to acknowledge fatigue and evaluate university politics like gender-responsive budgets and gender equality plans.

The Connection Between Gender Budgeting and Academic Housekeeping in RPOs

Gender Budgeting is a tool to apply the gender mainstreaming perspective to the accountability process in order to give evidence of the unequal distribution of public resources between women and men. Academic Housekeeping is any task “low-status, time-consuming, largely invisible, and that nevertheless needs to be done” (Kalm, 2019) in the academic daily business. It is a source of gender inequality since it is largely ascribed to women. Money and time are two sides of the same coin of Gender Inequality in Academia and therefore need to be identified and managed with an holistic approach that recognizes the interconnections between them. The results chain of the Performance-Oriented budgeting approach is therefore used to describe the transformation of the budget for salaries into the value of researchers’ work through time, activities, products and results. In this process, Academic Housekeeping emerges as a matter of Gender Budgeting, too. Literature describes Academic Housekeeping as an inequality regime echoing the domestic sphere and bringing its biases and limitations to the scientific race of competitiveness. The Housekeeping tasks are assigned largely arbitrarily and with unintentional side-effects. Its negative gender impact on women’s career is also clearly recognized by four main studies, in every field and with further intersectional spill overs. Gender Budgeting reports in Academia therefore do need to embed a Gender impact assessment of Academic Housekeeping in every step of the main methodologies adopted: Identity, Context Analysis, Planning Analysis, Budget Reclassification, Implementation and Performance Audit. The conceptual framework that emerges from the paper confirms the benefits that might arise from further researches on this field. The paper stems from the LeTSGEPs European Horizon Project (Leading Towards Sustainable Gender Equality Plans RPOs)

The problem of engaging the women of Kabardino-Balkaria inti industrial manufacturing in the 1920s – 1930s

The subject of this research is the examination of socioeconomic development of post-revolutionary Kabardino-Balkaria. The experience of engaging women in public space and industrial manufacturing draws particular interest. In the conditions of transition towards large-scale enterprise, women turns into an active participant of public life and social structure. Highlanders were engaged to industries that did not require high skills. Professional activity was accompanied by educational work, as well as organization of meetings and conferences. The article explores archival documents that are newly introduced into the scientific discourse, which reflect the transitional stage of inclusion of women in the Soviet sociopolitical space. The scientific novelty lies in the study of the participation of women of Kabardino-Balkaria in the industrial manufacturing over the period from 1920s to 1930s, ethnic peculiarities of overcoming the difficulties related to industrialization, and creation of conditions for its liberation. It is demonstrated that in the conditions of personnel shortage, the participation of female highlanders in the industrial manufacturing was not only of ideological and political importance, but also contributed to the formation of a new social and cultural infrastructure. The emergence of labor force, growth of urban population and engagement of women in manufacturing had progressive meaning and significantly changed the people’s mentality. Women became a full member of society, their rights were codified by law, and the plan for gender equality outlined by the Soviet state was on the path to implementation.

Athena SWAN gender equality plans and the gendered impact of COVID‐19

AbstractThis study explores Athena SWAN as a mechanism to govern gender equality and diversity in the context of the UK Business and Management Schools during COVID‐19. More specifically, this study reports on the struggles that UK Business Schools are now facing in projecting themselves as equal and diverse as well as efficient and viable. Using governmentality theory, a thematic analysis is applied to Athena SWAN applications and face‐to‐face interviews conducted with a number of leaders of Athena SWAN‐awarded UK Business Schools. The results suggest that Athena SWAN opens a space for self‐governing gender equality and diversity with some progress on this agenda. However, the Athena SWAN framework calls our attention to invisibilities of inequalities in times of crisis such as COVID‐19, when governamentality of gender issues can become limited and when targets on efficiency are set as a priority.

Gender Equality: Approaches and Strategies in University Context

This article is aimed at presenting a series of activities and systematic efforts that have found a place in the development of a Plan for Gender Equality in Research and academia. This endeavor is part of SPEAR project "Supporting and Implementing Plans for Gender Equality in Academia and Research“ under the EU Horizon 2020 Program: to develop specific approaches, activities, and measures systematized in Plans for gender equality to be implemented in the university environment, taking into account the specific national and regional characteristics of universities and structures. The SPEAR project involves universities and non-governmental organizations from 9 European countries: Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Austria, Croatia, Portugal, Lithuania, and Bulgaria (SWU "Neofit Rilski” and PU “P. Hilendarski”). The article reveals the purposeful actions of the team from SWU "N. Rilski" in the direction of creating such a plan, which refers to several structural and organizational aspects. As a basis for the development of the Plan, the article shows the results of a quantitative online survey, which presents attitudes and opinions on the topic of gender equality in social activities and research, as well as the results of in-depth interviews with the SWU deans' and rector's authorities under the topic of women's participation in management and research activities. The article shows the importance of gender equality as an opportunity for active participation in research and teaching of capable and proactive people.

Results of and lessons learned from TARGET

Results of and lessons learned from TARGET TARGET aims to contribute to advancing gender equality in research and innovation by supporting a reflexive gender equality policy in seven Gender Equality Innovating Institutions (GEIIs) in the Mediterranean basin—including three research performing organisations and three research funding organisations, and a network of universities. Each institution developed and implemented a targeted Gender Equality Plan and established a Community of Practice.

Learning outcomes of leader and leadership development: Method of Soft and Female leadership (SFL) empirical framework for driving the gender equality change in Mediterranean Engineering Education.

The foundation of gender equality was built some decades ago, but higher education institutions are far from achieving it. Perhaps the leadership needs to integrate new narratives for a greater commitment especially in engineering, and new tools for the existing toolbox. This study aims to share the outcomes of soft female leadershipframework (SFL) development for gender equality at the RMEI network, entailing the commitment of top-managers from engineering schools, creation of new leaders to lead the change at their institutions, students acting as change-agents, and an active community of practice. The SFL toolbox comprises self-awareness, humanistic care, intuition, creativity, and trust. The transformation of mindset, skillset, and culture entails using Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 'Systemic View of Life' arguments, and drawing knowledge from organizational learning frameworks, scientific phenomena, and mechanisms, such as a) 4I-Intuiting-Interpreting-Integrating-Institutionalizing organizational learning process starting from intuition to achieve an institutional change; b) 'Stigmergy' scientific mechanism of self-organized collective schemes with coordinated actions and interactions, in which the action performed by an agent leaves a trace in the environment that stimulates subsequent actions; c) 'Spillover' phenomenon advocating that the behavior of an agent can bring the adoption of related behaviors by other agents. The RMEI gender equality plan (GEP) was evaluated by the HORIZON2020 TARGET project consortium. The SFL excelled as successful in setting goals, articulating a policy that integrates systems approach frameworks, insights from science and technology, innovation, ecology, philosophy, self-awareness, ethics, and values. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted physical meetings, but the process of change was not ceased at the network because we disrupted the disruption by boosting collaborative knowledge, consolidation and dissemination processes. TheSFL framework integrates context, regional, and temporal characteristics, alongside cognitive, affective, and motivational outcomes over behavioral outcomes, new mindsets beyond organizational skills, and collaborative learning over individual learning.

Micro Change Agents for Gender Equality: Transforming European Research Performing Organizations.

This article explores the experiences of micro change agents for gender equality in seven European Research Performing Organizations in seven different countries. The micro change agents were all participants of an international collaborative project consortium, implementing gender equality plans (GEPs), and funded by the European Commission during 4 years. The analysis draws on empirical data consisting of information submitted by the micro change agents during these 4 years and collected using three different monitoring tools, developed within the project to follow the progress of the implementation efforts, but also to provide an arena for individual and collaborative reflection and knowledge exchange between the partners. The aim of the article is to present a systematic analysis of the change practices that these micro change agents experienced as useful and important for promoting gender equality in their different organizational contexts. A total of six such micro change practices are identified, emerging from the empirical data: 1. communicating, 2. community building, 3. building trust and legitimacy, 4. accumulating and using resources, 5. using and transferring knowledge, and 6. drawing on personal motivation. The findings illustrate the multifaceted character of micro change agency for gender equality, particularly in a time-limited project context with a designated funding period. The results from this study can be useful when developing gender equality strategies, policies and practices and can also be used to empower gender equality micro change agents that face challenges while trying to implement GEPs and promote structural change in any kind of institution.

THE NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR GENDER EQUALITY: WOMEN, SPORTS AND MILITARY INSTITUTIONS

In Greece, sport as a tool for the promotion of gender integration and social justice has been included in the upcoming National Action Plan for Gender Equality (NAPGE) for 2021-2025 by the General Secretariat for Demography and Family Policy and Gender Equality of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The social space of sport is also included in the currently in effect NAPGE, formulated for 2016-2020 by the General Secretariat for Gender Equality (GSGE) of the Ministry of the Interior. This article begins with a presentation of the upcoming-updated NAPGE 2021-2025 and subsequently examines NAPGE 2016-2020 which is currently in effect. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the strategic goals of the NAPGE are being implemented in the Hellenic Military Higher Education Institutions and specifically in their academic curricula and programs, focusing on coed sport activities. A strategic goal of the NAPGE 2016-2020, as in the one to follow for 2021-2025, is to promote equality in education, culture, sport, and the media. To eliminate gender inequalities the NAPGE, presently in effect in Greek society, sets six strategic goals, and incorporates the gender dimension in all social, political, educational and sports bodies. Following European Commission guidelines, the NAPGE priority areas focus on promoting health; eliminating gender-based violence; supporting equality in education, training, culture, sport, and the media; promoting social integration and equality. As regards education, the main objectives include eliminating gender stereotypes and all forms of discrimination. Research shows that women's sport participation challenges gender stereotypes. Subsequently, women’s integration and gender equality in the military is discussed, using the curricula and sport programs at the five military schools/academies along with the interview data from our previous study with twelve active-duty female officers, former cadets at these five institutions. Our findings indicate that the gender dimension is taken into account: the NAPGE is being implemented, to a certain extent. Our results show that coed sport activities and team sports cultivate acceptance, cohesion, teamwork, and collaborations, leading to women’s integration and inclusion, in addition to a healthier and more productive military environment and culture. 
 
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Change in research and in higher education institutions

Introduction. Funded under the Horizon 2020 programme, the CHANGE project –Challenging Gender (In)Equality in Science and Research– aims to create and implement tailor-made gender equality plans (GEPs) in research performing organisations (RPOs). To make GEPs more sustainable, efforts are being made to stimulate institutional cultural change towards gender equal work environments and foster the gender dimension and inclusive research and innovation programmes in research funding organisations (RFOs) as well. The promotion of a gender equality culture is thus a key requirement for RPOs to maximise their potential. The CHANGE consortium is composed of seven institutions from six countries –Austria, Germany, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Israel– of which five are GEP implementing partners and two are experienced partners (one coordinator and one internal evaluator). Objectives and Methodology. This paper approaches the methodology of the project and the structural and cultural challenges faced by the implementing partners so far, looking more specifically to the similarities and differences in the different national and institutional contexts. Results and Discussion. In all the five implementing partners organisations, successful steps have been taken in the implementation of GEPs. Regardless of these first successes, even with increasing women’s representation in management and decision-making positions in some specific cases, implementing partners and coordinators fear that this change may be merely circumstantial or only due and during the project duration. Contribution. The challenges and barriers faced so far to stimulate institutional and cultural change towards gender equal work environments in RPOs are diverse. While there are important social, cultural, and institutional differences among the partner institutions, there is a great similarity in the difficulties faced in implementing GEPs. Resistances and challenges that emerge during processes of change when gender equality policies are implemented in RPOs are more transversal to different national and organisational contexts than one could expect.

Negotiating change for gender equality: identifying leverages, overcoming barriers

Introduction. Institutional change through gender equality plans is today the dominant approach to promoting gender equality in higher education and research. Building on our experiences as “technical support partners” in several EU-funded projects, we reflect on how change is negotiated in a variety of contexts. Objectives. Theoretically, using Feminist Institutionalism and the Science and Technology Studies concept of the trading zone, our objective is to analyse institutional negotiations among various, differently positioned actors with diverse backgrounds, value systems and negotiating power. From a practice-oriented perspective, our aim is to demonstrate typical challenges, suggest pathways towards solutions, and identify specific negotiation skills which underscore the capacity-building needs of change agents. Methodology. For our analysis, we have selected eight information-rich case studies through purposive theory-based sampling, illustrating the different transactions in the trading zones, based on our prior knowledge of the circumstances. The methods we draw on are primarily participant observation and textual analysis of project documents. Results. The selected theoretical combination allows us to identify leverages, ways to overcome barriers and the required skills and competences. Specifically, we underscore the use of participatory and co-creation techniques, strategic framing, spotting and using windows of opportunity, and wide mobilisation of stakeholders. We highlight key features of the change process, including its processual and incremental nature, the need for constant negotiation and the capacity-building needs of change agents. Contribution. With this analysis, we contribute, firstly, to the understanding of organisational change by identifying concrete barriers and opportunities as well as considering the ways in which a shared representation of gender equality is developed. The second, theoretical contribution lies in combining Feminist Institutionalism and the concept of the trading zone, which allows us to bring to productive dialogue issues of power, processuality and the need to address both material and discursive enactments of change processes.

Fostering collaborative approaches to gender equality interventions in higher education and research: the case of transnational and multi-institutional communities of practice

ABSTRACT Higher education and research and innovation in Europe continue to suffer from an indefensible waste of female talent and gender inequality. The European Commission recommends that these organizations adopt gender equality plans (GEPs) and other initiatives for institutional change. However, the levels of readiness, expertise, and experience with such interventions are wide-ranging across institutions and member states, thus collaborative approaches might be particularly valuable. Drawing on the experiences of transnational and multi-institutional communities of practice (CoPs) for gender equality (GE), we illuminate how the CoP approach supported change agents, who leveraged CoP membership to respond to challenges in promoting GE initiatives. Being part of collaborative, co-designed CoPs for learning, knowledge sharing, and institutional change provided external support to the change agents’ activism and allowed them to build legitimacy around GE work. CoP members leveraged this support through learning opportunities, knowledge transfer, sharing practice, political support, and solidarity from the CoP stakeholders. Findings also show that when CoPs were transnational, multi-institutional, and interdisciplinary, their heterogeneity did raise some challenges in relation to the divergence of members’ contexts and geopolitical idiosyncrasies and that this should be considered when designing CoPs which transcend national and institutional boundaries.