Gender Equality Policy and Universities: Feminist Strategic Alliances to Re-gender the Curriculum

Figures & data

Table 1. Gender-sensitive Teaching in Spain’s Legal Framework

Legislation	Articles
Act 1/2004 on integrated protection measures against gender-based violence	Universities shall promote in all academic areas the training, teaching, and research on gender equality and nondiscrimination in a cross-cutting way (article 4.7).
Act 3/2007 on the effective equality of women and men	The significance and scope of gender equality shall be furthered into teaching and specific post-graduate studies must be created (article 25).
Act 4/2007 on universities	Equality between women and men must be incorporated as a value of universities (preamble).
Decree 1393/2007 on regulation of officially recognized study programs	As one of the general principles that must inspire the design of new degrees, topics related to equality between men and women shall be included, where appropriate, in the curricula (article 3.5).
Act 14/2011 on science, technology and innovation	Gender perspective as a cross-cutting category in science. Promotion of gender and women’s studies (thirteenth additional provision).

Table 2. Gender indicators for the accreditation of university programs

Standards	Gender indicators
1. Quality of the training program	Share of male and female students enlisted in the program. Actions undertaken to enlist students of the underrepresented sex. Number and type (basic, compulsory, optional) of modules/courses that incorporate a gender perspective or are gender-specific. Teaching materials are gender-sensitive (gender-balance in reference list, use of inclusive and non-sexist images, texts and language).  Training is provided on how to conduct gender-sensitive research.
2. Relevance of the public information	Publicly available sex-disaggregated data.  The program marketing materials (e.g. leaflets) and website are free from gender stereotypes and use inclusive images and language. The syllabi make explicit the gender competencies and gender-sensitive learning outcomes included. The institution’s gender equality policy is publicized (gender action plan, anti-harassment policy, etc.).
3. Efficacy of the program’s internal quality assurance system	Existence of mechanisms to supervise the inclusion of a gender perspective in syllabi and teaching materials. Gender mainstreaming is applied to the design, monitoring, and modifications of the faculty or school’s programs. The staff responsible for the programme’s internal quality assurance system has received gender training. The internal quality assurance system mainstreams gender (detailed gender equality goals, gender-sensitive indicators used in reports, etc.).
4. Suitability of teaching staff for the training program	Gender differences in faculty staff profiles (e.g, permanent/non-permanent position) and teaching load. Gender biases are taken into account when assessing faculty staff’s performance (students’ evaluations, recruitment and promotion, etc.). Share of the program’s faculty staff that have gender training and/or have participated in gender training sessions provided by the university. Number of gender mainstreaming teaching innovation projects that the program’s faculty staff participate in.
5. Effectiveness of learning support systems	Actions undertaken to mainstream gender in career guidance activities (salary negotiation, letters of interest, etc.) and in the tutors’ program. Inclusion of non-discrimination clauses on the grounds of sex/sexual orientation/gender identity in internship agreements. Training provided to the administrative staff on gender mainstreaming. Adequacy of library resources related to the discipline that are devoted to gender mainstreaming or gender studies.
6. Quality of program (learning) outcomes	Gender differences in students’ retention and graduation rates, number of years needed for graduating, and employability rates after graduating. Gender differences in students’ satisfaction with the program. Students’ satisfaction with the presence of a gender perspective in the program.*

Source: AQU Catalunya (2019a). * A new question asking those completing their degree about the extent to which they have received a gender-sensitive teaching will be included in the survey carried out by AQU Catalunya on a periodical basis.