The EARMA Thematic Group on Equality, Culture, Diversity and Inclusion (ECDI) aims to promote a more inclusive and diverse research management and administration community within EARMA. Its focus is on the RMA community, so everyone like you and us.
Making invisible visible again
By adopting a holistic approach and embracing diverse perspectives, the ECDI Thematic group aims to create an inclusive research ecosystem where all individuals feel valued and empowered. In our community, we embrace diversity and cultures, create inclusive environment, put well-being of RMA as a priority and aim to ensure equal access to all. We strongly care for our community and the cross-cutting, transversal issues falling under the ECDI umbrella.
Get involved
If you want to be involved in the ECDI thematic group, please join here (scroll down to see your thematic group). If you are not a member of EARMA, you must first register as a "Guest", "Institutional", or "Individual" member. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn.
Background
For decades, the research community has discussed gender, but in recent years, the conversation has expanded to embrace a broader diversity framework. Research managers and administrators have shown varying degrees of acceptance to the topic, prompting reflection on the hiring process and the dangers of reducing individuals to specific qualifications. The ECDI recognises the importance of practising what it advocates for in research—embracing diversity and inclusion as an integrate part of a profession and professional development.
As EARMA rolls out the RM ROADMAP project, providing a platform for discussions on the future of research management, European Commission includes Gender Equality Plans in EU funded projects, as well as brings the importance of mental health on EU agenda; as many of our organisations are organising discussions and setting up policies on equality, diversity and inclusion; we think it is the right time to organise this discourse within EARMA community as well. ECDI TG will contribute valuable insights from diverse perspectives. By exploring themes such as gender, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity, the ECDI will give voice to research managers where everybody feels represented and valued so to understand how their backgrounds influence their roles.
The ECDI follows on from a previous EARMA Working Group Culture and Diversity in Research Management and Administration, which was established in 2015 and ran for two years. Since 2024, we are in to start shaping the ECDI topics within EARMA community again. In March 2024, we held an online exploratory event and a plenary session at the recent EARMA conference in Odense, Denmark. We are still finalising our core team and inviting more core members to join us. We know that this Thematic Group is key to all of us and the EARMA community, but we are also aware that our activities are quite transversal to any other and so can hardly go alone out there and get attraction. We will start organising regular short (online) talks starting in September 2024 to raise interest from the EARMA community and build a strong, well-defined ECDI community.
Motivation
The ECDI thematic group aims to foster gender awareness, empowerment, cultural understanding, and communication while promoting diversity and inclusion in research and working environment of RMA’s. By prioritising psychosocial safety and protecting the environment, the ECDI thematic group seeks to support diversity in age, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic background, education, life experiences, and personality. The passion and commitment within the community drive the formation of this group, striving to create an inclusive RMA ecosystem that values diverse perspectives.
(Key) Objectives
The primary objectives of the ECDI thematic group will be:
- Promote Inclusivity and Raise Awareness by highlighting and addressing ECDI topics within RMA
- Collect and Share Best Practices:
- Gather and disseminate examples of good practices and tools related to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- Provide a platform for sharing experiences and practices within the community.
- Creation of safe and supportive community:
- Ensure that EARMA community members find a safe and supportive environment through ECDI activities.
- Promote well-being of Research Managers and Administrators (RMA).
- Organise Events and Foster Collaboration:
- Co-organise online and face-to-face events to discuss and promote ECDI topics.
- Build alliances within and beyond the EARMA community to address ECDI issues and support professional development.
Contribution to EARMA
The ECDI Thematic Group will enhance EARMA by fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity, providing safe spaces for members, and sharing best practices related to equality, culture, diversity, and inclusion. We will support members in implementing ECDI principles in their professional environments, promote well-being initiatives, and facilitate networking and collaboration to build a strong, connected community.
Contributions to Europe's research community
The ECDI Thematic Group will contribute to Europe's research community by promoting best practices and providing insights on equality, culture, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring diverse perspectives are valued and represented. By organising events and fostering discussions, we will facilitate collaboration and idea exchange across institutions, supporting initiatives like the European Commission's Gender Equality Plans and the RM ROADMAP project. This alignment will address gaps and challenges in research management, ultimately enhancing the inclusivity of the European research ecosystem.
Conclusion
Making the invisible visible again is an ambitious goal, we all know that. But we have passion, determination, complementarity of skills and desires in our thematic group and so we know that these may be the necessary ingredients to get far away from invisibility for ECDI stuff. Join us on this journey to bring ECDI topics to the forefront.
Overview
The ECDI core team runs monthly meetings and co-creates and co-organises events, including small talks described earlier. We have an amazing LinkedIn group as the provisional platform for us to engage more members. You are also welcome to our Collaborative space at EARMA platform, where you will find archive of shared ideas, practices and documents in the future.
Events
We will be co-organising online and face-to-face events with and for the community. Please join our core team or ECDI thematic group community to start sharing your ideas and practices. If you would like to speak at one of our events, please let us know. Your support is invaluable!
Additional Information
Presentation from EARMA 2024 conference in Odense
Presentation from exploratory event, 5 March 2024
The core group
We have two co-chairs who help each other do a better job and complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. And we have 5 amazing core members from a range of EU and non-EU countries who bring such experience and diversity to the group.
The core group consists of:
Andreja Zulim de Swarte (co-chair), University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands
Susi Poli (co-chair), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Italy
Olaf Svenningsen, EARMA and Lighthouse consultancy, Denmark
Sheila Vidal, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Portugal
Olga Roig, CREAF UAB, Spain
Evelina Brännvall, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden
Rosemary Madnick, Lundquist institute, US
Nicoletta Bortoluzzi, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Italy
Ignasi Salvado Estivill, Alianza 4 Universidades, Spain
Institutions can and don't have to be mentioned based on each person's wish or core group decision. Chair and Co-chair are mentioned in brackets only if the person is in that position.
