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Gender Equality Directory of Good Practice and Research
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  2. Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI)

Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI)

Dr Mursheda Begum (Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) Project Administrator)

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Please outline the work you lead and how it relates to progressing gender equality

The Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) pilot project was developed by the Department for Science and Technology (within the India Government) in partnership with the British Council and Advance HE.  

The project aims to develop the first gender equality frameworks within Indian academia, with a specific focus on addressing gender inequality within Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine (STEMM) and promoting gender sensitisation.  

Following a selective application process, six Athena Swan accredited universities in the UK were awarded a UK partnership place on the project and a grant in March 2021. Queen Mary was one of those awarded a grant to participate in this project.

Each university was paired with five Indian academic institutions.  Our Indian partner institutions:

What has inspired and motivated you to progress this work?

This project reflects Queen Mary’s commitment to, and support for, gender equality work across borders. Some of our partners have already introduced gender equality practices into their institutions because of the project and anticipate positive long-term impacts. The highly collaborative nature of the project has provided a fantastic opportunity to develop and strengthen ties with local and international academic institutions. 

What did you enjoy most about this piece of work and do you have any plans going forward?

What I enjoyed most about the GATI project was watching equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) theory come to life. Studying these concepts whilst working on my doctorate at the time was one thing, but witnessing the real-world process/impact; the challenges, the breakthroughs, and the resilience of those driving change, was enlightening. Exploring gender-related issues from an international perspective pushed me to think beyond my own experiences, highlighting how different countries and cultures navigate similar struggles in unique ways. Collaboration particularly made this experience powerful – sharing best practice, bouncing ideas off others and gaining fresh perspectives reinforced the importance of collective action. It was inspiring to watch EDI professionals tackle obstacles with passion and resilience; this project went beyond just understanding policies or frameworks, it was about people, their stories, and the tangible change being created.

Working on the GATI project taught me two invaluable lessons that has guided my career moving forward. First, it deepened my understanding of the importance of cultural sensitivity, teaching me that whilst gender-related issues may overlap globally, they must be addressed in ways that respect each unique context. Supporting the development of a gender framework in institutions across countries requires tailoring approaches to the specific sociocultural dynamics at play in both the organisation and society at large, by creating spaces where different perspectives can be shared, heard, and adapted, much like the success of Queen Mary’s Athena Swan programme in this project. But perhaps the most powerful lesson I took away is that meaningful change happens when we collaborate with those who are committed to building a more equitable world. That spirit of collective action is what fuels progress and makes the impact truly transformative.

How do you hope that this work will make a difference to promote gender equality and have you seen any impact so far?

Queen Mary’s involvement in the GATI project has resulted in the following impactful outputs:

  • Six workshops delivered, and attendance rates ranged from 18-27.
  • Delivered a week of workshops on lessons learned and good practice with other London Russell Group universities across Indian and Brazilian academic institutions.
  • 11 project update/one-to-one meetings conducted and/or planned.
  • Queen Mary hosted a delegate from Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi for a focused session on Gender Equality and visit to our Queen Mary campus.
  • Ran a workshop for GATI partner institutions focusing on Athena Swan in a medical context.
  • We shared a survey with our Indian partner institutions in April 2022 (see Project journey) to provide feedback on their GATI project journey. We asked about the short and (anticipated) long-term impacts of the project for our partner's institutions. Findings are outlined here.

It is fantastic to be able to share our learnings and good practice with others to influence positive inclusive practice in academic institutions in other parts of the world. Some of our partners have already introduced gender equality practices into their institutions because of the project and anticipate positive long-term impacts.

Please share any publications or resources from your work that would like to highlight

Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) project - Human Resources

 

 

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