Gender Equality Plan
People’s equality and respect for diversity are values that allow for the development of science and education in line with the universitas ideas. The principles of equality and non-discrimination are legal norms of a general nature, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their gender or any other individual characteristic, can participate in different spheres of life, including academic life, as equal.
The belief that equal opportunity for professional, scientific, educational, and personal development is a necessity stems not only from the law, but also from the social responsibility of the University community, which in its diversity creates the academic reality that is free of prejudice, limitations, and unnecessary divisions. This means that the University policy takes into account the interests and needs of each person.
The Community of the University of Silesia in Katowice started to implement its equality policy programmes by adopting the Gender Equality Plan as a first step towards achieving this goal. The document came into force by Regulation No. 212/2021 of the Rector of the University of Silesia of 7 December 2021, after receiving a positive evaluation from the Senate of the University of Silesia in Katowice, expressed in Resolution No. 222 of 30 November 2021.
The Gender Equality Plan at the University of Silesia in Katowice (GEP) is a proposal for the implementation of the assumed objectives stated in the Declaration of the University of Silesia – Community of Equal and Diverse and in the Statute of the University of Silesia in Katowice. It was developed following months of work carried out by a team appointed by the Rector and large-scale consultations with various reference groups.
Gender Equality Plan at the University of Silesia in Katowice
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The Gender Equality Plan is a strategic programme for 2022-2024, setting out the objectives and actions proposed in order to provide equal opportunities for people in the community, regardless of their gender. The proposed actions address the professional sphere, learning, and well-being of all those working and studying at the University, and in part the environment around them.
The programme is evolutionary and participatory – its development will be based on diagnoses, evaluations, and the participation of all interested individuals.
Strategic goals
- Raising awareness and changing attitudes regarding gender equality and respect for diversity in education and research.
- Recruiting and supporting the development of a diverse and equal staff, regardless of their gender.
- Creating a balance between professional and private responsibilities for working parents and caregivers, and for students at the University, regardless of their gender.
- Ensuring gender balance and diversity in decision-making processes and authorities.
- Tackling discrimination and gender-based violence, including sexual violence.