Gender, Research, Innovation

- a seminar on the integration of a gender dimension in research and innovation

On 4 April 2013, the Coordination for Gender Research, together with The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation and The Steering Committee for Gender Research in Denmark, organised the strategic research seminar Gender, Research, Innovation.

The seminar focused on how gender research can contribute to the promotion of growth, welfare and innovation at both EU and national levels. Several relevant questions where discussed, such as:

- How is the gender dimension understood at EU and national levels?

- How can the links between current EU and Danish research programmes be developed in this respect?

- Who are responsible for the integration of a gender dimension in Danish national and international research projects?

The day consisted of talks and comments by cutting edge experts in research, innovation and policy making from European, Nordic and Danish perspectives. The seminar ended with a sound table discussion on how to strengthen and support the integration of a gender dimension in national and international research projects, with a special focus on the forthcoming EU framework programme Horizon 2020. 

During the day, the following presentations were made:

Gendered Innovations by Ineke Klinge, Associate Professor of Gender Medicine, Maastricht University. Former co-chair/rapporteur of the EU Expert Group Innovation through gender.

The European Research Area and Horizon 2020: Integrating the Gender Dimension in European Research by Viviane Willis-Mazzichi, European Commission DG for Research and Innovation, Unit Ethics and Gender

Gender, Equality and Climate Change, by Kira Appel, Deputy Head of Department at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Denmark

As well as two project presentations:

KinTra - (Trans)Formations of Kinship: Travelling in Search of Relatedness, by Associate Professor Charlotte Kroløkke, Department for the Study of Culture, University of Southern Denmark.

TECHNUCATION - Technological Literacy and New Employee Driven Innovation through Education, by Professor Cathrine Hasse, Department of Learning and Philosophy, Aarhus University.

Background for the seminar

Gender, research and innovation have been on the agenda in recent research programmes at both EU and Danish levels. In the forthcoming EU framework programme on research and innovation, Horizon 2020, the integration of a gender dimension has been set up as a crosscutting issue of European research. Integration of a gender dimension is seen as a way to increase the quality and excellence of research and innovation activities. Likewise, the recent communication from the EU Commission, A Reinforced European Research Area Partnership for Excellence and Growth (2012), holds gender equality as one of its five main priorities and member states have been asked to strengthen the gender dimension in their research programmes. At the same time, FORSK2020, which identifies promising Danish research areas in relation to growth, employment and welfare, has been presented to the Danish Parliament. Both here and in other recent documents, the issue of a gender dimension and strategic research has been emphasized, e.g. in the report Gender, Equality and Climate Change published during the Danish EU presidency in 2012.

Read more about Horizon 2020 here.