5. Gender Equality

SDG 5 – GENDER EQUALITY

INTRODUCTION

Gender equality is a fundamental human right and a foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable society. Women and girls continue to face discrimination in every part of the world, and universities have a critical role in promoting equality—not only by providing access to education but also by supporting academic progression and leadership opportunities for women.

At UAIC, gender equality is embedded in institutional policies, practices, and programs that ensure fair access, representation, and support for women students, researchers, and staff. This report summarizes UAIC’s actions to implement SDG 5

POLICIES AND STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING SDG 5

UAIC has adopted a comprehensive set of policies and strategies to promote gender equality in higher education and research. These include:

• Gender Equality Plan 2026-2030: This strategic document outlines UAIC’s commitment to equal opportunities, non-discrimination, and equity in academic and professional contexts. It is periodically revised to respond to evolving societal and institutional needs.
• Internal Regulations and Code of Ethics: All employment, remuneration, and promotion procedures comply with Romanian law and explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics.
• Centre for Gender Equality in Science: Established in 2013, the centre coordinates research, monitoring, and documentation on gender equality in academia. It leads initiatives such as the UAIC Network of Women in Academics and Research, and provides evidence-based recommendations for institutional policies.
• Access and Participation Policy: UAIC tracks women’s applications, admissions, and participation across faculties, ensuring data-informed interventions to increase access for women in all programs, including underrepresented fields.

UAIC recognizes that promoting gender equality in higher education contributes to broader societal goals, including reducing inequality (SDG 10), combating poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2), and fostering peaceful and fair societies (SDG 16).

ACTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING SDG 5

Research on Gender Equality

UAIC actively contributes to research on gender equality, ensuring visibility and impact of women researchers:

• Proportion of Female Authors: UAIC monitors the proportion of women authors in indexed publications, tracking participation in research outputs.
• CiteScore and Publication Impact: UAIC evaluates the proportion of gender-related research appearing in top journals and overall research output addressing gender equality, reflecting the university’s excellence and influence.

Women’s Access to Higher Education

“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași (UAIC) operates in full compliance with national education legislation, strictly adhering to the principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination established by law. In this regard, UAIC ensures equal access to education for all individuals, both women and men, guaranteeing everyone the right to pursue university studies under fair and equitable conditions. Furthermore, the university regularly compiles statistics and analyses on the access and participation of women in higher education, continuously monitoring and supporting their inclusion, representation, and progress within the academic community.

SUPPORTIVE POLICIES AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT

Actions, results and impact

Research and Innovation

• Monitoring the proportion of female authors in scientific publications
• Evaluating research impact (CiteScore) and gender-related research outputs in high-impact journals
• Active participation in international projects:

  European Network For Gender Balance in Informatics (EUGAIN), COST Action CA19122, 19.10.2020-18.10.2024

• RI4C2 – Research & Innovation For Cities & Citizens, ( “EC2U People empowerment), Horizon 2020 „Science with & for Society”, 04.06.2021 – 30.08.2024

  Gender and health impacts of policies extending working life in western countries, ISCH COST Action IS1409, 16.07.2015-26.04.2019,

  Structural Transformation to Achieve Gender Equality in Science (Stages),  FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2011-1, 01.01.2012-31.12.2015, 

Access to Higher Education

• Ensuring equal access and non-discrimination in admissions and participation
• Collecting and analyzing gender-disaggregated data to improve inclusion
• Supporting women’s participation across all disciplines, including underrepresented fields

Academic Progression and Leadership

• Monitoring the proportion of women in senior academic roles (professors, deans, directors, research leaders)
• Implementing mentoring and tutoring programs, engaging at least 10% of female students to support academic success and career development

Inclusive Environment and Support Measures

• Enforcing non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, including protection of dignity and prevention of inappropriate behavior
• Providing maternity and paternity support, ensuring work-life balance
• Offering childcare facilities for students, staff, and faculty
• Ensuring confidential reporting mechanisms and protection for whistleblowers

Outreach, Education, and Community Engagement

• “Happy Bones” Project (Erasmus+): Promoting health and physical activity among women aged 50–65
• Mental Health Awareness Week: Promoting well-being and gender-sensitive awareness
• RI4C2 Masterclasses:
  • Gender Equality & Inclusive Communication in Research & Innovation
  • Ethics of Gender Equality in Science and Research
  • Fostering Gender Equality through Policy and Practice
• Strong international collaborations supporting research, knowledge exchange, and capacity building

CONCLUSION

UAIC demonstrates a comprehensive approach to SDG 5 – Gender Equality by integrating policies, programs, research, and metrics to support women’s access, participation, and leadership. By fostering inclusive academic environments and promoting equal opportunities, UAIC not only enhances women’s educational outcomes but also contributes to wider societal goals, including equity, social justice, and sustainable development.

The university continues to monitor, evaluate, and improve initiatives to ensure measurable impact and sustainable progress toward gender equality, reflecting its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.