Il Progetto R&I PEERS dell'Università di Salerno e l'attuazione dei Piani di Uguaglianza di Genere nelle Organizzazioni di ricerca (The R&I PEERS Project of the University of Salerno and Gender Equality Plans in Researcher Organisations)

The article identifies some gender-related best practices implemented at the University of Salerno in the last decade. The article traces the history of a policy made of small steps, accomplished by some female professors, engaged in promoting the culture of equal opportunities that has gradually achieved significant objectives. Starting from the founding in 2011 of the interdepartmental Observatory for Gender studies and equal Opportunities (OGE- PO), the study recollects the creation in 2014 of a network on the territory between universities, trade associations, national, international and provincial institutions. These accomplishments have paved the way to the establishment, in 2017, of a Consortium of 10 European research organizations involved in the Horizon 2020 project “ R&I Peers – Pilot experiences for improving gender equality in research organisations”, of which the University of Salerno is the leader. The project officially started in May 2018.The Consortium is made up of 10 members, of which 7 are piloting partners whose objective is the launch and implementation of a GEP (Gender Equality Plan). The remaining 3 are Supporting partners, who support and encourage, with targeted events and actions, the realization of the 7 GEPs. How was the proposal of the University of Salerno GEP (approved by the Academic Senate and the Board of Directors in March 2019) to include the gender perspective in scientific research received by the 17 departments of the University? Is it possible to already identify tangible results following awareness-raising activities for gender equality and the inclusion of diversity in the workplace? What future scenarios can be foreseen once the R&I PEERS project is concluded? The study aims at answering these questions