The Forum for Gender, Law and Policy – Events

Gender Equity in Academia–International Workshop 9-1-2023

Prof. Noya Rimalt, co-director of The Forum for Gender, Law, and Policy, and Prof. Shulamit Almog, head of the Diversity and Equity Unit at The University of Haifa and co-director of the Forum for Gender, Law, and Policy held on January 2023 an international workshop on Gender Equity in Academia.

In a unique and first-of-its-kind workshop in Israel, participants from the U.K., the U.S., Europe, and Israel spoke about Up-to-date challenges, theories, and dilemmas regarding gender equity in Academia.

The discussion and various presentations focused on the continuous gap between men and women at higher academic levels, the lack of sufficient women in academic management positions, and the unique obstacles women still face, including implicit bias, lack of gender mainstreaming, and institutional gendered ethos.

Dr. Victoria Showunmi presented an interactive lecture on multiple identities and intersectionality as an important factor in gender equity research. Dr. Benjamin Reese talked about unconscious bias and interesting and creative ways to overcome it. Maya Ashkenazi presented her and Dr. Himi’s research regarding gender equity in budgeted academic colleges and structural inequality between colleges and universities that intensifies the gender gap in colleges. Dr. Sigal Nagar-Ron, Dr. Sagit Kedem-Yemini, and Dr. Tammy Razi offered perspectives on intersectional analysis via unique tools of process mining. Prof. Ester Herzog discussed the significant impact of female college researchers on academic social anthropological research and women’s studies in Israel. Prof. Yonina Eldar – Head of the Council for Higher Education Committee for  Gender Equality – presented the challenges and the interesting directions of promoting gender equity initiatives in Israeli academia, and Prof. Shulamit Almog discussed the implementation and adjustments of these initiatives in the University of Haifa. Dr. Rakibe Külcür presented a combined research held with Dr. Fatma Güneri, & Dr. Pelin Gül, on academic culture and academic policies related to gender equity in universities in Turkey, France, and the Netherlands. Prof. Heidemarie Winkel demonstrated the struggles required in promoting gender equality policy against individual players and academic cultures that oppose or ignore those efforts at the political and social levels. Prof. Marija Lučić–Ćatić presented research by her and Prof. Muamer Kavazović on how gender equity initiatives are conceptualized and organized, whether integrated or translated, into pragmatics at the University of Sarajevo. This session was sealed by Prof. Chiara Battisti’s fascinating lecture on “Crystal Ceilings and Sticky Floors” in Italian academia in general and at the University of Verona in particular. The evening session on women in science and technology professions was opened by Dr. Meytal Eran-Jona who presented her joint research with Prof. Yossi Nir on the perceptions of doctoral and post-doctoral female physics students in Israel on continuing their academic careers. The session was signed by Dr. Shlomit Aharoni Lir on her research on the influence of participation in social and professional media networks on empowering abilities and capability of an action in the scientific academic arena.

The workshop was attended by researchers who play important roles in the field of gender equity in academia in Israel, which contributed to an engaging discussion. This workshop provided a venue for a diverse discourse, for establishing connections among the participants, and for collaborations between the University of Haifa and leading academic institutions worldwide.

A warm thanks to the chairman of the sessions: Prof. Ravit Raufman, Dr. Maayan Sudai, Prof. Lotem Perry-Hazan, and Dr. Shani Stern, and to the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Tal Tzarsky, who took part in the event.

The second event “Combating Gender-Based Violence” will take place from 3-6 July 2023 at the University Lille (France).