Project

Gender-SMART

Since 2019 WUR is partner in the EU Consortium Gender-SMART. Together with 6 European partners WUR has committed to strengthen and consolidate gender+ equality at WUR on 7 various dimensions. In the context of this project WUR developed a plan ‘Towards a Gender+ SMART WUR’ which is approved by the Executive Board in 2020. This plan is based on in-depth analysis with various stakeholders at WUR and includes actions for the project period. Objective is to establish solid and sustainable gender policies, practices and M&E procedures which are compatible with the EU requirements of a Gender Equality Plan.

This website informs about new initiatives, activities and results, and to supportive sources for information, trainings and activities within and outside of WUR.

We invite you to participate and get in touch with us!

The project

WUR is supported as the other partners by the EU Gender-SMART project. It is an EU Horizon 2020 innovation project with a duration of four years (2019-2023). Together with 6 European partners WUR has committed to strengthen and consolidate gender+ equality. SMART stands for Science Management of Agriculture & Life Sciences, including Research and Teaching, but also for its SMART approach and integration towards:

  • Strengthening and consolidating a Gender Equality Culture
  • Strengthening of procedures and practices to support Equal Careers
  • Reshaping Decision-Making and Governance
  • Integrating Gender in Research, Teaching and Funding

Gender+ Equality Plan

To achieve these goals the WUR team developed a Gender+ Equality Plan (G+EP) ‘Towards a Gender+ SMART WUR’, together with various stakeholders at WUR. The plan was discussed and supported by the Executive Board in August 2020 to give direction to the actions for the Gender-SMART initiatives up to Dec 2022. As partner in the EU Gender-SMART project, WUR drafted this Plan conform the EU standards for relevant gender dimensions and based on commitment to budget and publicity. It now serves as overarching WUR Gender Equality Plan (2020-2022). The objective is to establish solid and sustainable gender+ policies and practices.

In 2022, we started to design a follow-up Gender Equality Plan collaboratively to guide the period after Gender-SMART, including dedicated responsibilities, indicators and monitoring (evaluation and adjustments) procedures according to EU standards. Approval by the Executive Board was given in Febr. 2024.

Download the new WUR Gender+ Equality Plan

This implies that applicants for EU funding can refer to this new webpage and fill in YES when asked about a Gender Equality Plan at WUR.

Towards a Gender+ SMART WUR, 2020-2022

The first GEP for WUR had the aim to move towards a Gender+ SMART WUR, and more specifically focusses on gender+ integration in key areas to achieve change as normalized in WUR practices and routines.

These key areas, or dimensions, were identified through analysis and co-creation sessions as part of the Gender-SMART project. The seven key dimensions are (see figure 1):

Gender-SMART - dimensions.jpg

Within these dimensions, significant fields for action were detected as crucial to advancing a Gender+ SMART WUR.

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The use of gender+ underlines the recognition of heterogeneity among men and among women. It considers the gender dimension as intersecting with other (multiple) social dimensions such as generation, race, ethnicity, class/wealth, religion, civic status, sexual orientation, health status, urban/rural locality, etc.