Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development & Innovation Funding in Romania

Romania – Research Funding Organisation

Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development & Innovation Funding in Romania (UEFISCDI) is a public entity of the Central Administration in Romania under the authority of the Ministry of Education and Research. UEFISCDI was established in order to promote quality and leadership for higher education, research, development and innovationCommitted to equal opportunities principles for all its employees and collaborators, UEFISCDI took part in CALIPER to create a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) that provided a framework for the existing good practices inside the organisation and outside its boundaries.

GEP website 🔗

Visit the dedicated page inside the Organisation’s web portal presenting GEP activities for internal structural changes towards Gender Equality and collaborations with key external stakeholders.

GEP Library of UEFISCDI

Based on the 5-Phases CALIPER work plan, UEFISCDI implements 2 rounds of Gender Equality Plan design, development and evaluation lasting 12 months each.

Substantial results stemming from this process ensure the smooth running of the planned interventions, the engagement and commitment of key stakeholders and the envisioned sustainability of GEPs.

Internal Assessment

A comprehensive analysis of gender equality related conditions within 9 specific areas inside the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development & Innovation Funding in Romania.

External Assessment

Analysis of external framework conditions & innovation ecosystems from a gender perspective of the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development & Innovation Funding in Romania.

Gender Equality Plan

A set of actions to assess the impact of procedures to identify gender bias; implement strategies to correct any bias; set targets & monitor progress via indicators.

Kit on gender sensitive communication

A kit on how to approach gender sensitive communication in both the institutional paperwork and the every day life of the internal staff.

Guidelines for preventing sexual harassment at workplace

A document with steps to create a safe space for employees and limit the discrimination and harassment incidents.

Guidelines for a gender sensitive recruitment process

A guide that addresses the use of inclusive and non-discriminatory language during job recruitment proccesses

Guidelines for employees returning from parental leave

A document compiling policies and practices for parents returning from parental leave

The Research & Innovation Hub of UEFISCDI

What is the R&I Hub?

UEFISCDI has identified external key players of the regional and national innovation ecosystem, including academia and universities, industry players, ministries/government bodies and public sector and civil society organisations to engage them in the GEP process.

Engaging interested and key external stakeholders in the GEP processes can bring gender balance and gender sensitiveness in transfer to market of scientific research results, it motivates young girls to embrace STEM studies, and it promotes gender sensitive co-design of research and tech products.

UEFISCDI works with the external players of the Hub, to implement the collaborative GEP actions.  These actions facilitate institutional change internally, but also initiate a conversation among the regional and national stakeholders, to adopt and implement gender policies in their organisations.

The R&I Hub members

The R&I Hub of UEFISCDI consists of 8 organisations. One of them belongs to the academic community, four are industry players, one is civil society organisation, while two are representatives from the government and the public sector.

GEP Activities of UEFISCDI

GEP Working Group

The GEP Working Group in UEFISCDI is represented by Cafeneaua de Inovare (Innovation Café) team. This initiative was started by UEFISCDI in 2013 as an informal networking framework for entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, public representatives, civil society and academia, to meet and debate in an open space on the newest trends in technology, innovation and entrepreneurship policy development needs.

Strongly connected to the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Romania, Cafeneaua de Inovare has been the host of many national, regional, European and international editions. Moreover, this initiative was recognised by Interreg Europe as a good practice example in Romania at interregional level in the framework of MARIE project.