European Commission awards five institutions the title of Gender Equality Champions in R&I

The European Commission has awarded five institutions the title of Gender Equality Champions in Research and Innovation.

The Commission announced the winners of the fourth edition of the EU Award for Gender Equality Champions on 03/02/2026. They are divided into three categories: Sustainable, Newcomer Gender Equality Champions and Inclusive Champions.

Bielefeld University, Germany, and the Open University of Catalonia, Spain, were recognised in the first category, respectively for their over 30 years and 15 years of dedication to gender equality.

Jozef Stefan Institute, Slovenia, and Charles University, Czechia, are the winners in the second category, Newcomers.

For the Inclusive category, University College Cork in Ireland has been recognised as "a pioneer in intersectional equality through innovative programmes like reverse mentoring for women facing multiple biases, campus-wide accessibility upgrades and supportive policies that enable staff and students to update their names in the university records following personal transitions".

The award serves as an incentive to advance…