D 7.2 Strategic alliances & Impact monitoring. 1st Report

Deliverable D7.2 is the first version to be produced in the series of three during the duration of the INSPIRE project. It outlines, explains, and summarises the actions taken to-date, in the approaches developed (to be later refined) to establish strategic alliances between INSPIRE - as a project and as a Centre of Excellence - and the various, relevant actor and stakeholder organisations in the European research and innovation ecosystem, who either have an expressed commitment or plans to integrate gender equality, diversity, inclusion and intersectionality perspectives and objectives into their mission. Integrating EDI values into institutional structures and practices, into the efforts towards development of human and intellectual capital, into transparent system of governance, etc., is increasingly recognised as a necessary step in the process of correcting the numerous biases and gaps in historical evidence, representations, and understandings of the biological and socio-cultural conditions that underpin studies of gender, ethnicity, race, age, social status, etc.

The strategy in INSPIRE is to: 1) help advance knowledge on inclusive gender equality; 2) establish shared understanding among science organisations of the concepts of 'inclusivity', 'diversity' and 'equality'; 3) contribute to the creation of an open and inclusive research and innovation environment; and 4) achieve systematic implementation of EUs commitment to gender equality in research and innovation, and in society. The INSPIRE consortium can build on the partners' extensive experience of collaborative projects whose goal was to promote gender equality in participation and representation; integration of gender dimensions in research process; and adoption of gender equality plans for structural improvements in organisational functions.