Horizon 2020
Ian Devine
European Advisor – UK Research Office
University of Manchester, 11 September 2014

From FP7 to Horizon 2020

Objectives
• Gender balance in decision-making
• Gender balance in research teams
• Gender dimension in research and innovation content

Calls on gender equality

Implementation

Resources
Horizon 2020

Framework Programme (Regulation of
Establishment):
• FP7: Gender mentioned in Annex
• Horizon 2020:
 Art 14.1.l: Gender as cross-cutting issue within H2020
priorities
 Art 16: Gender equality and gender dimension at all stages
of research cycle
 Art 31.1 & 32.3: Gender in monitoring and evaluation
http://ec.europa.eu/research/partic
ipants/data/ref/h2020/legal_basis/
fp/h2020-eu-establact_en.pdf

Rules for Participation:
• FP7: Reasonable gender balance among experts
• Horizon 2020:
 Art 13.4: Gender dimension addressed in proposals
 Art 18.5: Gender equality in Model Grant Agreement
 Art 40.2: Gender balance among experts
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/legal_ba
sis/rules_participation/h2020-rules-participation_en.pdf
Horizon 2020
Three objectives underpin gender equality activities
in Horizon 2020:
 Fostering gender balance in Horizon 2020
research teams
 Ensuring gender balance in decision-making
 Integrating gender/sex analysis in research and
innovation (R&I) content
Guidance on Gender equality in Horizon 2020:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/gran
ts_manual/hi/gender/h2020-hi-guide-gender_en.pdf
Work Programme
Encourages balanced participation
in research teams/management
Reporting (under discussion)
Workforce statistics by gender
Grant Agreement
Beneficiaries “must aim, to the
extent possible, for a gender
balance at levels of personnel
assigned to the action, including
at supervisory and managerial
level” (Art 33.1)
Proposal
Indicate gender of person
responsible for carrying out the
project’s R&I activities (Section
4 ‘Members of the consortium’)
Evaluation
In case of ex aequo, gender
balance may become ranking
factor

Gender to be discussed in proposal under
‘excellence’

Advisory Groups
• Equal balance target - 50% men/women
• At least one expert with gender expertise in
each group
• Gender experts from different groups also to
meet in ad hoc formation

Expert evaluators
• Target of 40% of under-represented sex in the
composition of panels, taking into account the situation
in the specific field
• Gender equality and content of research experts
evaluate
• Expertise in Gender to be evidenced with appropriate
work
• Evaluator briefings included tailored section on gender
Work Programme
Explicitly integrated into several
topics across all sections - flagged
Reporting (under discussion)
As other relevant issues in periodic
reports
Grant Agreement
If gender dimension addressed in
proposal, will also be part of Annex
II
Proposal
Where relevant, describe how sex and/or
gender analysis is taken into account in
the project’s content
(Section 1.3 ‘Concept and approach’)
Evaluation
If relevant, as other parts of the
proposal

Gender of project participants to be included
Horizon 2020

Identifying gender-flagged topics through
Participant Portal:
• ‘Quick finder’ option:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opp
ortunities/h2020/search/search_topics.html
• Keyword search

In Work Programme part on ‘Science with and for
Society’ (2014/15):
Type
of
action
Budget
GERI.1.2014 - Innovative approach to
communication encouraging girls to study science
CSA
€1.5m
GERI.2.2014 - Impact of gender diversity on
Research & Innovation
RIA
€1m
GERI.3.2015 - Evaluation of initiatives to promote
gender equality in research policy and research
organisations
RIA
€2m
GERI.4.2014-2015 - Support to research
organisations to implement gender equality plans
CSA
€14m
Topic
Horizon 2020

While signing the Grant Agreement, beneficiaries
“…must take all measures to promote equal
opportunities between men and women in the
implementation of the action” and “must aim, to the
extent possible, for a gender balance at all levels of
personnel assigned to the action, including at
supervisory and managerial level”

The Commission will assess the implementation of the
above-mentioned obligation along with other
commitments of the beneficiaries

The Commission will monitor the implementation of
gender as a cross-cutting issue, at various stages in the
funding process.

The following are Specific Performance Indicators for
Horizon 2020, starting to be collected in 2016, on an
annual basis:
• Inclusion of gender in the content of research (number of
projects including gender analysis in the content of research products, instruments, methods, technologies, prototypes);
• Workforce statistics by gender (number in FTE10 and gender
of projects' staff), technicians, administrative staff (including
legal)

The following Indicators will be used on an annual basis
to determine the prevalence of gender as a cross-cutting
issue:
• % of women MSCA Fellows, starting to be collected in 2015.
• % of women as ERC principle investigators, starting to be
collected in 2015.
• % of women in advisory groups, expert groups, evaluation groups
and panels, starting to be collected in 2014.
• % of projects with gender dimension in the project design, starting
to be collected in 2015.
…within H2020 projects
 A novelty of Horizon 2020 is the inclusion of gender
training among the eligible costs of an action. The aim
is to help researchers to further develop and share
gender expertise in relation to the funded project.
…of Commission staff
 Systematic training for those involved in the drafting and
the implementation of work programmes. Two types of
training: basic for general awareness and specific to
individual Challenges/ Programmes.
Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 Grants Manual contains section on gender balance
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/funding/referenc
e_docs.html#h2020-grants-manual-hi-gb

GenPORT – online community of practitioners for sharing
knowledge and inspire collaboration
http://www.genderportal.eu

Vademecum on Gender Equality in Horizon 2020 (draft available
on GenPORT website)

Gender Innovations
http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/genderedinnovations/index_en.cfm

For questions: RTD-GENDERINRESEARCH@ec.europa.eu
Ian.Devine@BBSRC.ac.uk