In October 2025, eleven leading European institutions, winners of the European Union Award for Gender Equality Champions, signed a joint declaration reaffirming their commitment to gender equality.

The declaration aims to reinforce gender equality at institutional level, to ensure the sustainability of inclusive gender equality policies at European level, and to promote gender equality in international cooperation.

"Attracting more women to academic careers and ensuring the highest standards of research quality are essential to enhancing science’s role in addressing societal and economic challenges. To achieve this, it is vital that we continue to mainstream gender equality in European and international cooperation."

Read the declaration in full: 

Joint declaration on gender equality in higher education, research & innovation (PDF)

Joint declaration on gender equality in higher education, research & innovation (text)

 

Find out more about the EU Gender Equality Champions

institutional logos of gender equality champions