Analysis – what are the key gender equality issues that are relevant to your project and how it will contribute to addressing these.

Key gender equality issues include:

• Underrepresentation of women in senior research roles: The project will work to develop a pipeline of female researchers at every career stage.
• Gender stereotyping, particularly in STEM disciplines: STEM fields are often perceived as too challenging for women. We will focus on supporting staff in STEM departments to address this issue.
• Unconscious bias in academic research: We aim to foster a cultural shift through targeted training and workshops, engaging both men and women.
• Lack of female role models: We will identify prominent female figures and highlight their journeys through narratives and testimonials. These women will be invited to give presentations, either live or recorded, to inspire others and serve as champions and mentors for female researchers.

We also recognize that as the project progresses, other factors may emerge that could be crucial to explore and may require increased focus. For instance, the intersection of gender and socio-economic status can create barriers that affect an individual’s ability to participate in a research program. Remote education might be advantageous in certain situations, particularly where cultural norms prevent females from traveling and living abroad. Similarly, male students may need to remain close to home to support extended family members, spanning multiple generations.

Additionally, parental leave policies at various Pakistani institutions, both public and private, are important to consider. Women often face the dual responsibilities of pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare while pursuing an academic research career. Furthermore, English proficiency and academic writing skills may differ between men and women, potentially posing a significant barrier to research output.

Measures – what measure will be put in place to ensure equal and meaningful opportunities for women, girls, and minority genders, including project design and team composition as well as activities and outcomes;

We will actively promote and engage with female academics and Master’s students. A significant portion of this project is dedicated to empowering female researchers, with the activities detailed in previous sections specifically designed to ensure strong female representation. Additionally, we aim to raise awareness among male academics about our objectives and the reasons behind them.

Our UK team includes both male and female academics who are experienced researchers and supervisors, with a strong commitment to advancing gender equality. The team in Pakistan will be similarly balanced and composed. The Project Lead’s CV highlights experience in transnational education and remote PhD supervision.

In designing our activities, workshops, events, and training materials, we will adopt a gender-sensitive approach. Initially, we will collaborate with local academic communities to gather information on gender inequalities specific to the region. This will help ensure that UK perspectives on gender equality are not automatically applied to the context of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), recognizing the unique cultural and societal factors at play.

Expected impact – what is the expected impact (benefit and losses) on (a) men; women; other genders; and (b) the power relations between people of different genders

The diverse research teams we aim to promote are expected to drive greater innovation and introduce research themes that may not have been previously considered. Additionally, there may be a stronger emphasis on ensuring that research proposals actively address and mitigate gender bias. For example, data-intensive research should include efforts to identify and eliminate inherent biases in data, with a plan in place to process data in a way that reduces such biases.

We anticipate positive changes in work patterns, along with a greater awareness of inclusive practices and the avoidance of unconscious bias in the workplace. This could lead to a more balanced distribution of work duties, ensuring that administrative tasks, heavy teaching loads, and the responsibility of providing pastoral care to students are not disproportionately assigned to female academics but are equitably shared among all faculty members. The workplace environment may also evolve to empower women to voice their ideas more confidently in committee meetings, research seminars, and other professional settings.

Risks – How will any risks or unintended negative consequences on gender equality will be avoided

The evolving roles of male and female researchers could potentially lead to tension both in the workplace and at home. There is also a risk of further marginalization of female researchers during the project, making it essential to establish a safe and confidential space where women can express their concerns.

Senior male academics may require additional time to adapt to these changes in the work environment. Therefore, it is important to regularly invite and encourage their participation in workshops and training sessions to facilitate this transition.

Outcomes and Outputs – How l relevant outcomes and outputs will be measured in order to demonstrate impact on gender equality including with data disaggregated by age and gender.

We will identify several sex-disaggregated quantitative and qualitative indicators, including:

• The current number of PhD students (male and female), both on-campus and in remote learning.
• The current number of PhD first and second supervisors.
• The current number of researchers who have completed training.
• The current number of publications, including co-authored works.

These indicators will be projected into the next mid-term phase, with input and feedback from our partners.

We will assess the level of awareness across different staff categories, including senior leadership teams. Initially, we will gather anecdotal feedback to gauge how effectively a culture of gender equality is being integrated, particularly in terms of any changes to working conditions. We will actively promote anti-discriminatory practices throughout the project.

Our goal is to achieve continuous progress beyond the project, shifting from gender-sensitive to gender-responsive practices within academic workplaces in Pakistan. In the mid to long term, we aim to see significant advancements for women in leadership development and career progression. We also hope to foster a positive diffusion of a gender equality culture among faculty members and students, where all voices are heard and valued.

Lessons Learned – How are you planning to share lessons learned within your community (institute/university)?

We will actively collaborate with various professional and service departments, sharing project outcomes and lessons learned through detailed reports that include infographics and visual abstracts. The University’s Research Office and Admissions Teams will play a crucial role in expediting PhD applications and ensuring a smooth onboarding process.

We will present our findings to the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) and Head of Partnerships to explore further academic collaborations in Pakistan. This could include in-country delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

We will invite Pakistani researchers to participate in our weekly Research Seminar series as presenters, co-presenters and regular attendees.

We will work closely with the University’s Centre for Equity and Inclusion (https://www.londonmet.ac.uk/about/centre-for-equity-and-inclusion/)  to report on current working conditions and practices in Pakistan, as well as to share the key insights from our interactions with female researchers. Additionally, we will connect with the University’s Women’s Network to facilitate introductions between key personnel in Pakistan and promote the sharing of resources. We will also establish connections with the Women in Higher Education Network (Women in Higher Education Network https://www.whenequality.org/), which is part of our broader community.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY and INCLUSION (EDI) – Is this project including or addressing any additional Equality, Diversity and Inclusion aspects (e.g. age, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and socio-economic background)?

Please specify the groups included and how they will benefit from the activities (300 words max)

We anticipate that the group most likely to benefit from our initiatives will be those at the intersection of gender, age, and socio-economic status. Women’s academic career progression is often hindered by family and caregiving responsibilities, which can delay reaching top positions such as professorships or permanent tenure. As a result, many female researchers achieve these milestones later in their careers. This group is also at a higher risk of opting out of career advancement due to limited promotion opportunities.