June 2025
Advancing Inclusive Research Cultures through Mentorship: Insights from the EUMENT-NET Expert Exchange
As part of the VOICES project’s mission to promote inclusive academic environments, team members recently participated in the international expert exchange “Inclusive Research Cultures through Mentorship”, hosted at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf and organised by EUMENT-NET and VOICES. The event brought together engaged colleagues from across Europe for a dynamic and thoughtful exchange on how mentoring can serve as a catalyst for building more inclusive, supportive, and equitable research cultures. Participants shared institutional practices, explored emerging mentorship [...]
Highlighting Gender and Intersectionality in Research: VOICES Members Share Insights Across Europe
As VOICES nears its final conference, members of the Working Group on Gender as a Research Dimension continue to actively contribute to European debates on inclusive research practices. Over the past months, researchers involved in the project have shared their work at leading conferences and expert forums, showcasing how gender, diversity, and intersectionality can enhance research quality across fields—from AI and prosthetics to biodiversity and innovation studies. VOICES co-lead Anita Thaler, alongside colleagues from IFZ [...]
May 2025
Empowering Early Career Researchers: Insights from the VOICES WG2 Workshop in Plovdiv
On the 15th and 16th of May 2025, the VOICES COST Action's Working Group 2 (WG2) convened a pivotal two-day workshop in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, focusing on the role of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in university decision-making and leadership. The event brought together members of the WG2 to discuss on their research publications and their output towards the final outputs of the VOICES COST Action. By Panourgias Papaioannou, Communications Manager WG2 Day 1: Understanding the Role [...]
Enhancing Equity Through Evidence: WG6 Meeting on Data Availability in Higher Education
On 8–9 April 2025, the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal, hosted the annual meeting of the COST Action Gender VOICES. This key event brought together working groups from across Europe to collaborate on current research activities and engage in strategic discussions to advance the project’s overarching objectives. Among these was Working Group 6 (WG6), which convened under the leadership of Dr. Rakibe Kulcur to address progress on the ongoing study “Mapping Data Availability in [...]
April 2025
Braga Hosts Final VOICES Annual Meeting: Looking Back, Thinking Ahead
On April 8–9, 2025, the University of Minho in Braga (Portugal) hosted the final VOICES Annual Meeting, closing a vibrant chapter of collective reflection, advocacy, and collaboration. Organised under the leadership of Edna Costa, the event gathered VOICES members and local stakeholders to assess progress and chart new directions for advancing gender equality in academia. The two-day program featured internal discussions, strategy workshops, and a public plenary roundtable titled “VOICES for Change: Integrating Political, Institutional [...]
Making Young Researchers’ Voices Heard for Gender Equality in Braga: The last VOICES Annual Meeting
On April 8-9, 2025, the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal, will host a historic event for gender equality in academia: the last Annual Meeting of the "Making Young Researchers’ Voices Heard for Gender Equality" (VOICES) initiative. Supported by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), this concluding gathering will bring together researchers, academics, and gender equality advocates one last time to reflect on past achievements and shape the future of inclusive academic environments. A [...]
March 2025
WG6 Activities in the First Quarter of 2025
On 21 January 2025, at Izmir University of Economics, Türkiye, WG5 and WG6 organized the event “VOICES in Action: Shaping Gender Equality in Science and Research.” The first day featured several presentations, including: “Introducing VOICES – Making Young Researchers' Voices Heard for Gender Equality” by Assoc. Prof. Anne-Sophie Godfroy. “A GEP in Action – Practical Tips and Lessons Learned for the Implementation of Gender Equality Plans” by Dr. Jennifer Dahmen-Adkins. “Using Intersectionality as an Approach [...]
March 8: Elevating Women’s Voices in Academia
On International Women’s Day, we take a moment to recognize the achievements, challenges, and contributions of women in all areas of life. In the world of academia, young women researchers play a crucial role in shaping the future of knowledge, yet their voices often go unheard. Today, we celebrate their efforts, acknowledge the barriers they face, and reaffirm our commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity in academic spaces. The Gender Gap in Academia: Challenges and [...]