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Ethics, integrity and gender equality in the research area of Slovenia: between policies and their implementation

Description

The project "Ethics, Integrity and Gender Equality in the Research Sector of Slovenia: between Policies and their Implementation" is designed to strengthen the capacity to implement the principles of responsible science in the areas of ethics, integrity and gender equality and to provide stakeholders at different levels of decision-making and action in Slovenia with the relevant knowledge and skills to implement these principles. To this end, the project conducted an in-depth study on the treatment of ethics, integrity and gender equality in research in Slovenia, which is published in the document Report on the State of Ethics, Integrity and Equal Opportunities in Science in Slovenia (link). The study looked at policies on ethics, integrity and gender equality in research and their implementation at national level, in systemic or umbrella organisations and in individual research institutions, the activities of academic publishers and differences between disciplines in relation to ethical review of research, as well as an analysis of the situation in research institutions with regard to eligibility for Horizon Europe funding. The in-depth analysis of the collected documents and data was complemented by interviews with representatives of key stakeholders to gain insight into their experiences and expectations regarding the systemic regulation of these areas. This allowed us to gain a comprehensive picture of the ethical review of research, the development of research integrity policies and procedures for dealing with suspected breaches of these policies, as well as policies and measures relating to gender equality in research in our country.

Based on the results of this research and a review of best practise in the country and abroad, we have produced two documents: Recommendations for a Systemic Approach to Ethics and Integrity in Research (link) and Recommendations for a Systemic Approach to Equal Opportunity in Research (link). The two documents contain guidelines for strategic development documents in these areas, recommendations for existing systemic organisations and suggestions for the establishment of new institutional mechanisms.

We have also produced a Handbook on Integrity, Ethics and Gender Equality in Research Organisations, which includes guidance on the establishment and functioning of working bodies (committees), protocols for ethical review and the examination of breaches of integrity principles, the creation of gender equality action plans (GEPs), examples of good practise, etc. The Handbook includes Slovene translation of the Research Integrity Promotion Plan (RIPP) as developed within the project SOPs4RI.

We have also organised processes for the exchange of knowledge and experience through workshops on gender equality plans and the organisation of a meeting of representatives of the ethics committees of research organisations. A consultation was organised with representatives of systemic organisations from Austria to transfer best practises from abroad, including a training on how to create a RIPP.


Results

List of publications and presentations:

Information on the workshops carried out in the course of the project

Workshop on the use of the GEAM survey for staff in academic institutions (10 March 2022, online).

The workshop presents the GEAM survey developed in the framework of the European ACT project, and translated into Slovenian and accordingly adapted. The survey is designed for staff in research organisations and the workshop presents how organisations can use and adapt it to their needs. The survey can be used to gather information on the situation of female researchers, satisfaction with the working environment, perceptions of gender equality and the problems faced by female researchers. The workshop was led by Dr Ana Hofman (ZRC SAZU), who also led the process of adapting the survey to the Slovenian academic environment.

Workshop on work-life balance in gender equality plans (20 April 2022, online).

Programme:

- Dr Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc, Basic information on gender equality plans (GEP)

- Dr Jasna Fakin Bajec, European Commission Recommendations on work-life balance in the GEP

- Examples of work-life balance measures in academic organisations in Slovenia: University of Maribor (Prof Dr Janja Hojnik), Koper Scientific Research Centre (Dr Blaž Lenarčič), University of Primorska (Prof Mojca Kleva Kekuš), Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana (Prof Dr Milica Antić Gaber).

Workshop on measures to prevent gender-based violence, including sexual harassment (3 June 2022, live, ZRC SAZU).

The workshop was led by Dr Jasna Podreka (Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana), co-author of the professional guidelines Prevention of Sexual and Other Harassment, Bullying and Violence (Podreka, Antić Gaber, Pihler Ciglič & Kenda, 2021 – link), published by the Commission for Quality of the Faculty of Arts, UL and used at other faculties of the University of Ljubljana.

Workshop on measures to integrate a gender perspective into research and teaching (15 June 2022, online).

The workshop was led by Dr Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc (ZRC SAZU), co-author of the Handbook for Introducing a Gender Sensitive Approach in Research and Teaching (Mihajlović Trbovc & Hofman, 2016 – link) and Gender Advisor at ZRC SAZU.

Izzivi etične presoje raziskav v Sloveniji (Challenges of ethical review of research in Slovenia, 3. 4. 2023)

Dobre prakse integritete in enakosti spolov v raziskovanju: primeri iz Avstrije (Good practices on integrity and gender equality in research: examples from Austria, 24. 4. 2023)

Kako pripraviti načrt za spodbujanje raziskovalne integritete? (How to develop a Research Integrity Promotion Plan? 22. 9. 2023)

Presečišča med etiko, integriteto in enakostjo spolov v znanosti (Intersections between ethics, integrity and gender equality in science, 8. 12. 2023)

 


Research Project