When science is a WOMAN: the project of UERA and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan

єє   Ukrainian Educational Research Association and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan work on the project ‘When Science is a WOMAN’ with the support of Daufine University (Daufine University).

Ukrainian Educational Research Association is represented by scientists from different regions of Ukraine. They are as follows: Тetiana Medina (Chernivtsi), Liudmyla Zagoruiko (Kyiv), Тetiana Lisova (Nizhyn), Svitlana Shchudlo (Drohobych) and Оksana Zabolotna (Uman). 

One of the project's goals is to conduct a comparative analysis of the gender composition at Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science departments in Poland (on the example of UAM) and Ukraine (on the example of CHNU). The project justification is based on a study of the quantitative composition of departments over ten years, conducted by the Ukrainian partner at the Institute of Physical, Technical and Computer Science, and at the Department of Mathematics and Informatics of Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. Polish partner researched similar departments at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan.

The project 'When science is a WOMAN' is a one-year project. Its implementation is provided by sociological methods, particularly document analysis (analysis of statistics), questionnaires, and the in-depth interviews method. The questionnaire sections will focus on studying the specifics of women's scientific careers in STEM. Additional hypotheses will be developed based on the survey results of men and women working in STEM departments. It will create the basis of the study using the in-depth interview method. The second stage's goal is to identify career obstacles and prerequisites for successful careers of women and men in the field of science. These interviews will provide an opportunity to identify possible gender characteristics of men and women's scientific careers.

The project pays considerable attention to the presentation of research results to the academic community. It is planned to create Laboratories for women at both universities. Experience shows that projects ending with recommendations for the university management (rector, deans, heads of departments) have greater efficiency and opportunities for implementation than those containing only the scientific component. We hope that these recommendations and conclusions can also contribute to promoting women's career development in universities. It is especially true for Ukraine, where feminist activity is underdeveloped.

The issue of gender equality is still relevant nowadays. We believe that highlighting and trying to address these issues through research projects will help increase women and men's access, both inside and outside the research institution, to the research results on gender analysis and innovation. Dissemination of foreign experience examples in implementing gender-sensitive innovations and highlighting the negative consequences of vertical gender segregation, especially in the field of STEM, will help promote women in career and science in Ukrainian universities. We also consider it essential to create gender education hubs based on educational institutions in different Ukraine regions. They will serve as an example of positive gender innovation for the academic community and students, their parents, and university authorities.

Additional informatin on the Project:

video about the Project

information on AMU site