RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit

14/05/2026

📡 Με αφορμή την Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Τηλεπικοινωνιών και Κοινωνίας της Πληροφορίας (WTISD), υπενθυμίζουμε ότι ο ψηφιακός μετασχηματισμός μπορεί να δημιουργήσει ουσιαστική πρόοδο μόνο όταν είναι πραγματικά συμπεριληπτικός.

💻 Παρά τις σημαντικές εξελίξεις στον τομέα των ΤΠΕ (ICT), οι γυναίκες εξακολουθούν να υποεκπροσωπούνται στον ψηφιακό τομέα, γεγονός που περιορίζει τις ευκαιρίες συμμετοχής, καινοτομίας και επαγγελματικής εξέλιξης.

🌍 Μέσα από το Girls' Empowerment in Digital Skills - GEMS EU Project, το RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit του Frederick University Cyprus συμβάλλει ενεργά στην ενδυνάμωση των κοριτσιών και των νέων γυναικών στον ψηφιακό κόσμο, προωθώντας την ανάπτυξη ψηφιακών δεξιοτήτων, τη δημιουργία προτύπων και την ισότιμη πρόσβαση σε καινοτόμες μαθησιακές εμπειρίες.

🚀 Η ενίσχυση της συμμετοχής των γυναικών στις ΤΠΕ δεν αποτελεί μόνο ζήτημα ισότητας, αλλά βασική προϋπόθεση για μια πιο καινοτόμο, ανθεκτική και βιώσιμη κοινωνία.

🔗 Ακολουθήστε τις δράσεις του έργου GEMS και ανακαλύψτε πώς συμβάλλουμε σε ένα πιο δίκαιο και συμπεριληπτικό ψηφιακό μέλλον. 🙌

📅 On 17 May we will celebrate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD)

Digital transformation can only create real value if it is truly inclusive.
Across Europe, women still represent just 1 in 5 ICT professionals, and the gap in digital skills continues to limit participation, opportunities and competitiveness.

Through GEMS, an Erasmus+ project focused on the digital empowerment of girls, we work to reduce this gap by strengthening skills, visibility, role models and access to innovative learning pathways.
Promoting women’s participation in ICT is not only a matter of equality — it is a strategic driver for a more innovative, resilient and sustainable Europe.

🔗 Follow our project activities and discover how we’re building a more equitable digital future!

This project has been co-financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program. Blanquerna - Universitat Ramon Llull Tallinn University Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica Elettronica e Informatica - Unict RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit Pedagoška fakulteta Ljubljana / Faculty of Education Ljubljana TLU School of Educational Sciences

04/05/2026

📢 Το GEMS WebApp έρχεται σύντομα! 🌐
✨Είναι μεγάλη μας χαρά που συμμετέχουμε σε αυτή τη σημαντική πρωτοβουλία που προωθεί την ισότιμη συμμετοχή κοριτσιών και νεαρών γυναικών στις ψηφιακές δεξιότητες και το STEM. 🙌
💫Μείνετε συντονισμένοι για την επίσημη παρουσίαση και ανακαλύψτε πώς χτίζουμε μαζί ένα πιο δίκαιο ψηφιακό μέλλον! 💻✨

🌐 GEMS WebApp – Launch Coming Soon!!

We are pleased to announce that GEMS partners are currently completing the translation of the WebApp content, which will soon be available in eight languages, ensuring broad accessibility and European outreach.
Presented to all partners at the end of April, the GEMS WebApp serves as the project’s central communication and dissemination hub. It provides structured and accessible information on project objectives, activities, opportunities for girls and young women, and all open-access results.
The platform integrates research outputs, the EquiTeach Programme, the GEMS Educational Programme, and a showcase of girls’ projects, offering a unified digital space for learning and engagement.

Designed with usability, inclusiveness, and mobile accessibility in mind, the WebApp fully reflects the project’s visual identity and supports WP5 dissemination activities through news updates, visibility tools, and compliance with Erasmus+ requirements.

It will also remain accessible for at least two years beyond the project’s completion, contributing to long-term sustainability.

📢 💻💪 Official presentation coming soon. Stay tuned!!

🔗 Follow our project activities and discover how we’re building a more equitable digital future!

This project has been co-financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program with Research | Centro di Ricerca e Sviluppo in ICT Blanquerna - Universitat Ramon Llull Frederick University Cyprus RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit Università degli Studi di Catania di Ingegneria Elettrica Elettronica e Informatica -Unict Tallinn University

29/04/2026

➡️Η ισότητα των φύλων στην τεχνολογία δεν είναι απλώς στόχος, αλλά αναγκαιότητα. 👩‍💻
💫Μέσα από το GEMS ενισχύουμε τις δεξιότητες και τις ευκαιρίες των κοριτσιών στον ψηφιακό κόσμο. 🙌

Gender Equality, STEM Education & Digital Inclusion

Despite progress in STEM education, the gender gap in the digital sector remains a structural challenge.

In 2025, women accounted for only 19% of the ICT workforce, with even lower representation in managerial (13%) and leadership (8%) roles.

This gap is not about skills, but about systemic barriers:

• persistent stereotypes
• unequal distribution of care work
• limited visibility of female role models
• scarce mentoring opportunities
• non‑inclusive professional environments

At the same time, countries such as Sweden, Estonia and Ireland show that integrated policies on digital literacy, work‑life balance, women’s empowerment and educational innovation can deliver tangible results.

Through GEMS, an Erasmus+ project focused on gender equality, STEM education and digital inclusion, we work to strengthen girls’ skills, opportunities and participation in the digital world.

To learn more about this topic, we recommend reading this article from Alley Oop - Il Sole 24 Ore https://alleyoop.ilsole24ore.com/2026/04/20/ict-donne/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-it-it

🔗 Follow our project activities and discover how we’re building a more equitable digital future!

This project has been co-financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program with Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica Elettronica e Informatica - Unict Unict Comunica Tallinn University RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit fakulteta Ljubljana / Faculty of Education Ljubljana Blanquerna - Universitat Ramon Llull Frederick University Cyprus Research - ICT Research and Development Centre

31/03/2026

🌟ESTEEM - Enhancing Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability (SmUCS) Through Gender Equality in AcadEMia - Working Together for Inclusive Change!🌟

🌏Within the framework of the EU-CONEXUS Seed Funding scheme: ESTEEM - Enhancing SmUCS Through Gender Equality in Academia, Dr. Petroula Mavrikiou and Ms. Antria Karaoli, representing RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit and Frederick University Cyprus, visited South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford, Ireland, from 24–26 March 2026.

✨Following the visit of Dr. Allison Kenneally, Vice President for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at SETU and Chair of the Irish National Athena Swan Committee, and Dr. Mary Doyle Kent, Chair of the Department of Engineering Technology at SETU, to Frederick University Cyprus last October, this visit offered a valuable opportunity to continue strengthening the collaboration between our institutions within the EU-CONEXUS network. 🙌

💡During the visit, our representatives met Dr. Allison Kenneally and Dr. Mary Doyle Kent, and connected with new colleagues from SETU’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Office. Presentations from both universities led to insightful and fruitful discussions, allowing for a meaningful exchange of ideas, knowledge, and best practices in the areas of gender equality, inclusion, and diversity in academia.

➡️RIGE representatives presented the work done at Frederick University Cyprus and RIGE, together with a range of best practices and initiatives related to equality, inclusion, and diversity. In turn, SETU shared its own inspiring journey, initiatives, and good practices in advancing EDI across the institution.

✨A special highlight of the visit was the opportunity to tour the South East Applied Materials Research Centre, guided by Dr. Mary Doyle Kent, offering an engaging and insightful experience into SETU’s research environment and innovation activities.

We sincerely thank Dr. Allison Kenneally, Dr. Mary Doyle Kent, and the wider SETU and EDI team for organising and hosting such a meaningful visit. 🙏🙏

💫We look forward to building on this experience, strengthening our collaboration further, and exploring new opportunities for future joint actions. 💫

12/02/2026

✨11 Φεβρουαρίου – Διεθνής Ημέρα Γυναικών και Κοριτσιών στην Επιστήμη 🧠✨

🌟Γιορτάζουμε όλες τις γυναίκες και τα κορίτσια που, με την έρευνα, την περιέργεια και την καινοτομία τους, χτίζουν το μέλλον.

✨Το έργο GEMS - Girls' Empowerment in Digital Skills, με χρηματοδότηση από την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, ενισχύει την ισότητα των φύλων στις επιστημονικές και ακαδημαϊκές διαδρομές, δημιουργώντας συμπεριληπτικά και βιώσιμα περιβάλλοντα όπου το ταλέντο και το πάθος μπορούν να ανθίσουν χωρίς στερεότυπα. 💪🔬

💫Μαζί, για ένα μέλλον όπου η επιστήμη θα ακούγεται με ακόμη περισσότερες φωνές. 🙌🙌

🌍 11 February – International Day of Women and Girls in Science 🧠✨

Today we celebrate all the women and girls who, every day, help build the future through research, curiosity, and scientific innovation.

The GEMS project, funded by the European Union, works to promote gender equality in scientific and academic pathways by creating inclusive and sustainable environments where talent and passion can grow freely, regardless of gender. 💪🔬

On this day, we renew our commitment to breaking down stereotypes, fostering equal opportunities, and valuing women’s skills and contributions in science and research.

👉 Together, towards a future where science speaks with many more voices.
with Frederick University Cyprus Blanquerna - Universitat Ramon Llull RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica Elettronica e Informatica - Unict

29/12/2025

✨Το έργο GEMS είναι ένα ευρωπαϊκό πρόγραμμα που στοχεύει στη μείωση του έμφυλου χάσματος στον ψηφιακό τομέα και στην ενίσχυση της συμμετοχής των γυναικών σε τομείς STEM. 💫

💡Μέσα από εκπαιδευτικά προγράμματα, δράσεις καθοδήγησης και καινοτόμα εργαλεία, το GEMS προωθεί την ισότητα, τη συμπερίληψη και την ενδυνάμωση των κοριτσιών και των γυναικών στην ψηφιακή εποχή. 🚀

✨Είμαστε περήφανοι που το RIGE - Gender Equality and Inclusion Research Unit και το Frederick University Cyprus συμβάλλουν ενεργά στη δημιουργία ενός πιο συμπεριληπτικού και ισότιμου εκπαιδευτικού οικοσυστήματος. 🙌

GEMS is a European project born to close the gender gap in the digital world and boost female participation in STEM.

💡 What are we doing?
Together with universities, research centers, and European organizations, we’re building:
🔹 Digital training modules for higher education
🔹 Mentoring and peer-learning programs
🔹 Inclusive tools and strategies for schools
🔹 Workshops and events for students, teachers, and key stakeholders

🚀 Our mission?
To create a more inclusive, innovative, and empowering educational ecosystem that celebrates and supports female talent in the digital age.

👉 Be part of the change. Discover more about GEMS and follow our journey!
This project has been co-financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program

, , PMF Research - ICT Research and Development Centre Frederick University Cyprus RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit
TLU School of Educational Sciences Pedagoška fakulteta Ljubljana / Faculty of Education Ljubljana Univerza v Ljubljani / University of Ljubljana Tallinn University Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica Elettronica e Informatica - Unict

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04/12/2025

📢 Cyprus in the Gender Equality Index 2025

💡The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has released the 2025 Gender Equality Index, providing updated scores for all EU Member States, including Cyprus.

➡️Cyprus scores 47.6 out of 100 in the 2025 Gender Equality Index and ranks last among EU Member States. Although the country has shown gradual progress - with its score increasing by 5.1 points since 2015 and 1.8 points since 2020 - significant challenges remain. Cyprus performs particularly poorly in the domains of time (27th), knowledge (26th), and power (26th), where gender gaps are especially persistent. At the same time, improvements in the domains of health and work have contributed to the overall upward trend.

➡️These results highlight the continued need for strengthened action toward gender balance, inclusion, and equal opportunities across Cypriot society.

💫At RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit, we share these findings to raise awareness and support informed dialogue on gender equality developments at national and European levels. 🙌

🔗 Explore the full results for Cyprus here:
https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/2025/country/CY

The Gender Equality Index is a composite indicator that measures the complex concept of gender equality and assists in monitoring progress of gender equality across the EU over time.

01/12/2025

✨We are really excited to see the continued progress of our HEI Green Path – Integrating Green Skills in Social Sciences and Humanities Erasmus+ project! 🌿🌻

✨Our online meeting on Friday, 28/11/2025, brought together all partner institutions to review ongoing work, discuss the development of educational materials, and plan the next steps. Regular collaboration like this is essential to ensure that the project remains aligned and impactful. 🙌🙌

💫We are looking forward to seeing how our joint efforts will continue to support the integration of green skills in higher education!

Wyższa Szkoła Przedsiębiorczości i Administracji w Lublinie
Γεωπονικό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών - Agricultural University of Athens -Οfficial
Frederick University Cyprus
Mednarodna fakulteta za družbene in poslovne študije - MFDPŠ
MEDEA Higher Education Institution for Mediterranean, Europe and Africa

W dniu dzisiejszym odbyło się kolejne spotkanie online konsorcjum projektu Erasmus+ “HEI Green Path – Integrating Green Skills in Social Sciences and Humanities”, którego celem jest wzmocnienie kompetencji ekologicznych oraz podniesienie świadomości środowiskowej w szkolnictwie wyższym.
W spotkaniu uczestniczyli przedstawiciele wszystkich instytucji partnerskich:

Frederick University Cyprus
MEDEA Higher Education Institution for Mediterranean, Europe and Africa
Mednarodna fakulteta za družbene in poslovne študije - MFDPŠ
Γεωπονικό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών - Agricultural University of Athens -Οfficial


Podczas posiedzenia omówiono m.in.:
• aktualny stan realizacji poszczególnych działań
• postęp prac nad materiałami edukacyjnymi oraz broszurami skierowanymi do studentów i pracowników uczelni,
• plan działań na najbliższy okres,
• zagadnienia związane z jakością, monitorowaniem oraz upowszechnianiem rezultatów projektu.
Regularne spotkania partnerskie stanowią kluczowy element skutecznego zarządzania projektem oraz zapewniają spójność działań podejmowanych przez wszystkie instytucje zaangażowane w konsorcjum.
Wspólna praca umożliwia efektywne przygotowanie rozwiązań, które wesprą uczelnie w integracji green skills z programami kształcenia oraz praktyką akademicką.

23/10/2025

🌟 ESTEEM – Enhancing Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability (SmUCS) Through Gender Equality in AcadEMia - Empowering Change Through Collaboration! 🌟

✨RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit and Frederick University Cyprus had the pleasure of hosting two distinguished guests from the South East Technological University (SETU), Ireland - Dr. Mary Doyle Kent, Chair of the Department of Engineering Technology, and Dr. Allison Kenneally, Vice President for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and Chair of the Irish National Athena Swan Committee, within the framework of the EU-CONEXUS Seed Funding scheme: ESTEEM – Enhancing SmUCS Through Gender Equality in Academia.

✨The ESTEEM project fosters collaboration between Frederick University Cyprus and South East Technological University (SETU), aiming to promote gender equality as a key driver for innovation and inclusion within the Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability (SmUCS) framework. Through joint actions, ESTEEM supports the exchange of good practices, capacity-building, and the integration of gender equality principles across research, education, and institutional culture. 🙌🌏

✨On Tuesday, 21 October 2025, a meeting took place at Frederick University between Ms. Natassa Frederickou, President of the Council of the Frederick University, Dr. Petroula Mavrikiou, Associate Professor of Statistics at Frederick University and Head of RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit, and Ms. Tonia Stavrinou with the visiting academics, where they exchanged good practices on fostering a more inclusive and equitable academic culture and discussed strategies to address the underrepresentation of women in fields such as engineering and technology.

💡 On Wednesday, 22 October 2025, two inspiring workshops took place at Frederick University’s Nicosia campus, within the framework of the visit:

➡️Dr. Mary Doyle Kent presented “Work in SETU on Supporting Girls and Women to Engage in STEM”, sharing impactful practices and tools that promote the participation of girls and women in STEM fields.

➡️Dr. Allison Kenneally led two insightful sessions - “Athena Swan in Ireland and SETU – Our Journey to Date” and “SETU’s EDI Journey to Becoming an EU Inclusive Gender Equality Champion” - offering valuable perspectives on SETU’s path toward advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion in higher education.

👏 The event was organised and coordinated by RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit and brought together members of the academic and administrative community to exchange ideas, good practices, and future collaborations in promoting gender equality in academia. 💫

15/10/2025

🌍 NEXUS Final Conference – Fostering Sustainable Change for Inclusive Gender Equality in Europe 🌿✨

✨On 23 September 2025, the Final Conference of the Horizon 2020 NEXUS Project took place at the Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza w Krakowie. The event brought together gender equality practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Europe to reflect on the project’s achievements and discuss the future of inclusive gender equality in research and innovation.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in panel discussions on:
✅ The benefits and challenges of twinning initiatives for inclusive gender equality
✅ Opportunities and barriers in EU widening and associated countries
✅ Effective communities of practice in research-performing organizations
✅ Policy gaps, developments, and recommendations for sustainable change

✨By co-designing, implementing, and evaluating targeted actions, NEXUS has supported nine research organizations across seven EU Member States and two Associated Countries in developing inclusive Gender Equality Plans (GEPs). The project’s intersectional, intersectoral, and context-sensitive approach has fostered institutional change that is sustainable, participatory, and deeply embedded in research excellence.

👏 RIGE - Gender Equality & Inclusion Research Unit at Frederick University Cyprus is proud to have participated as a partner in NEXUS Project and congratulates all partners and participants for their collective contributions to advancing gender equality in research and higher education! 💫



TU Dublin International Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza w Krakowie Bay Zoltán Alkalmazott Kutatási Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft. Frederick University Cyprus ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA Koç Üniversitesi Université du Mans University of Niš Smart Venice srl Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

🙏Photo credits to Nwabuogo Enwerem