University of Coimbra participates in the 1st National Meeting of Gender Equality Structures in Higher Education

The University of Coimbra (UC) participated in the 1st National Meeting of Gender Equality Structures in Higher Education, represented by the Vice Rector for Planning, Sustainability and Quality, Patrícia Pereira da Silva.

Organised by the Gender Equality Working Group of the Sustainable Campus Network, the event brought together representatives from several higher education institutions (HEIs) to promote dialogue, training, exchange of good practice and consolidation of policies on gender equality in higher education.

The meeting featured a comprehensive programme, including the presentation of gender equality structures in Portuguese HEIs, the sharing of good practices and available support mechanisms, as well as training sessions and joint reflection. The University of Coimbra (UC) highlighted its commitment to sustainable development, with a special focus on Sustainable Development Goal 5 - Gender Equality - as evidenced by both institutional documents and concrete initiatives within its sustainability strategy. According to Vice Rector Patrícia Pereira da Silva, "Gender equality is a fundamental pillar of our institutional strategy and is embedded in all our documents, policies and practices. It is crucial to have these moments of exchange and collaboration if we are to work together to build higher education institutions that are more aware of their transformative role in society".

One of the highlights of the event, which took place on 7 April at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, was the signing of a joint declaration reaffirming the commitment of higher education institutions to promote gender equality. This commitment involves the creation of collaborative networks, the exchange of best practice, regular meetings, and engaging both the academic community and the wider community towards a fairer, more diverse and inclusive society.

The Sustainable Campus Network was launched in 2018 during the Sustainable Campus Meeting held at the University of Coimbra. Since then, it has established itself as a platform for inter-institutional collaboration aimed at fostering sustainable development in higher education across Portugal.

^{Translation: Diana Taborda [DCM-UC]}