The director of the Center for Intercultural Studies (CEI), Clara Sarmento, was appointed P.PORTO’s representative on the “Quality of Life” Working Group, Action “Gender Equality”, of the ATHENA European University – Advanced Technology Higher Education Network Alliance, which brings together higher education institutions from Portugal, Greece, Germany, Slovenia, Italy, France, Ukraine, Spain and Lithuania.
Gender balance in academia, especially in leadership positions, is a challenge that is being addressed by the Athena European University. According to the European Strategy for Universities, a persistent gender gap remains in several fields of study and research and in decision-making positions at universities. Persistent gender bias too often disrupts the learning process at the heart of becoming a leader. Organisations inadvertently undermine this process when they advise women to proactively seek leadership roles without also addressing policies and practices that communicate a mismatch between how women are seen and the qualities and experiences people tend to associate with leaders.
ATHENA – Advanced Technology Higher Education Network Alliance is a federation of mid-size higher education institutions in nine European countries. It aims to deliver inclusive, innovative, high-quality international education permanently aligned with global market needs.