Gender

In recent years, the five Flemish universities have made progress on gender equality in the various sections of the university. Nevertheless, if the current course is maintained, it will take at least until 2050 before there can be true gender balance among the academic staff of Flemish universities. Because this situation is not due to a lack of incoming talent at the level of doctoral students but to a leaky pipeline, with women advancing less into senior academic positions, the Young Academy encourages universities to shift up a gear on gender and diversity policies. 

On 11 February 2019 - the United Nations (UNESCO) designated International Day of Women and Girls in Science - a campaign and accompanying website "Science is M+V+X" launched with the aim of drawing attention to gender issues and giving new impetus to science-based action to achieve an accelerated gender balance at Flemish universities. This campaign culminated in the VLIR-JA (Flemish Interuniversity Council-Young Academy) Charter Gender in Academia, which was signed on June 26, 2019.

The charter contains 5 lines of action that the YA intends to permanently promote, implement and monitor:

1. Training on gender and bias;
2. Procedures for selection and promotion;
3. Representation on boards and committees;
4. Workable work culture;
5. Monitoring. 

Finally, we want to emphasize that gender imbalance and implicit biases are not exclusively related to women. In some faculties or programs, men among students and (junior) researchers are the underrepresented group. They, as well as men who take up caring and domestic roles, may also suffer from implicit biases because of fixed ideas on masculinity. Moreover, we know that a number of people are more comfortable with a non-binary gender identity (e.g., "genderqueer," "gender non-conforming," "genderfluid," "bigender," etc.) and that they, too, face implicit biases. The ultimate goal is to create a work environment in which both M, V and X feel accepted and valued.