/publications/agenda-diversity-and-inclusion-academy-institutes-2022-2025
The Academy wants to promote equality, diversity and inclusion within the Academy, the Young Academy, the Academy of Arts, the institutes and the Bureau, based on the conviction that diversity in persons and perspectives enriches the scientific debate and contributes to creativity, innovation and quality. The Academy wants to embed diversity and inclusion in its thinking and actions across the board and offer a working environment where differences are embraced and people feel at home.
The Academy promotes, supports and recognises excellence in science and interprets the results of research for society. The Academy articulates the importance of scientific research, knowledge and understanding for the economic, physical, social and cultural good and the well-being of mankind. It wants to make a visible contribution to a scientific community with equal rights and opportunities for all and room for the open exchange of views based on equity.
Equality and equity are about equal opportunities and possibilities for all, and also about fighting discrimination. Diversity refers to all visible and invisible characteristics, experiences and/or backgrounds in which people and groups of people may differ from each other. Inclusion is the creation of a working environment in which everyone, regardless of social or cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability, can be themselves, feel safe and have the space to develop.
The Academy does this in two capacities. On the one hand, as a society of excellent scientists and prominent artists who are members of the Academy, the Young Academy or the Academy of Arts respectively but are not employed by the Academy. And on the other hand, as the employer of more than 1,300 employees working at ten national research institutes, three institutes that provide infrastructure for research and the Academy Bureau. Because of this difference in position, purpose and tasks, the translation of our vision into measures and actions will differ between the academies and institutes. In view of their own history and culture, the details may also vary from academy to academy and from institute to institute. The principles and assumptions have general appeal and will be applied across the board. Of course, there is scope for tailor-made solutions when it comes to actual implementation, provided that well-argued reasons are given.
Following on from its Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, the European Commission wants to actively promote gender equality1 in research and innovation. Organisations that want to be eligible for funding from Horizon Europe, the framework programme for research and innovation, should therefore have a gender equality plan (GEP) in place from 2022.
At national level, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science adopted the National Action Plan for Greater Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education and Research in 2020, which underlines the positive relationship between quality of education and research and the pursuit of inclusion and diversity. As a guardian and interpreter of science, the Academy has contributed to the National Action Plan and is also a co-signatory of this National Action Plan.
Naturally, the Academy supports the European Commission in its efforts to promote gender equality within the organisation because it helps to promote underrepresented groups in the research sector. For us, this is an integral part of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Amsterdam, 26 April 2022
Betreft: Gender Equality Plan
Dear members of the European Commission,
As part of its Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, the European Commission is committed to
actively promoting gender equality in research and innovation, as part of the wider EU framework for gender equality in the labour market. Targeted actions are required to combat gender inequality in scientific research. The European Commission has therefore made it a condition that organisations that want to qualify for research funding from Horizon Europe must have a gender equality plan (GEP) in place by 2022.
The Academy Board and the Board of Management of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences [KNAW] (“the Academy”) endorse the European Commission's commitment to gender equality. In line with its mission and vision on diversity and inclusion (https://www.knaw.nl/nl/thematisch/diversiteit) the Academy wishes to offer scope and opportunities to everyone who can make a relevant contribution to the scientific community. The quality of our scientific system benefits from a culture in which we do not neglect or exclude talent, but promote diversity of perspectives when it matters. Diversity and inclusion are therefore important concerns for the Academy, The Young Academy, the Academy of Arts and the Academy institutes.
The Academy translates this mission and vision into measures and actions in various ways. Based on its role as guardian and interpreter of science, the Academy has contributed to the National Action Plan for Greater Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education and Research, adopted by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science in 2020. The Academy is also co-signatory to this National Action Plan. As a result of the National Action Plan, the Academy will soon be publishing an advisory report on the reasons for and prevention of undesirable behaviour in science.
In addition, in its role as an employer, the Academy has initiated various actions to promote diversity and
inclusion. The Academy is responsible for over 1,300 staff members who work at ten national research institutes, three institutes that provide infrastructure for research and the Academy Bureau. A D&I advisor has been appointed to the central P&O department, a toolkit for diverse recruitment and selection has been developed, D&I aspects have been integrated into the education and training offering, and workshops and meetings on D&I have been organised by and at the institutes.
Based on the mission and vision of the Academy, the attached Agenda for Diversity & Inclusion 2022-2025 has been drawn up for the Academy institutes. This Agenda is intended as a guide to the further development and implementation of policy and practical activities to promote diversity and inclusion in a broad sense at the institutes and the Bureau. In our opinion, the promotion of gender equality is an integral part of the D&I Agenda, which therefore also constitutes a gender equality plan (GEP) for the Academy.
By adopting the D&I Agenda 2022-2025, the Academy intends to provide an insight into its involvement, approach and efforts to promote gender equality and diversity and inclusion within science in general.
Kind regards,
Prof. Ineke Sluiter
President