Dorothy Kelly, Arqus Coordinator, gives a talk about equality at the European Political Community Summit held in Granada

The Arqus Coordinator, Dorothy Kelly, has participated in the programme of activities aimed at the delegation of people accompanying the leaders of the European Political Community Summit held in Granada on 5^th and 6^th October 2023.

The third meeting of the European Political Community brought together leaders from across the continent in Granada to discuss how to make Europe more resilient, prosperous and geostrategic. On Friday, 6^th October, the Arqus Coordinator, Dorothy Kelly, gave the talk “Reflections on Equality” at the UGR historical building La Madraza. In the session, the Arqus Coordinator described the progress, delays and obstacles in the process toward the Sustainable Development Goal number 5 “SDG5: Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls at a global level”. The Alliance has developed shared policies for inclusion and diversity for all members of the university community and is especially committed to ensuring greater access by girls to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines.

For instance, the Mentoring Programme for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) and the Training Programme for Careers Outside Academia developed under the initiative Arqus PhD Pursuit are based on a commitment to increase diversity and gender equality in academia, with the goal of achieving the highest potential for research in Europe. In addition, within the Arqus Inclusion and Diversity Hub, previously called “Widening Access, Inclusion and Diversity” in the Arqus Work Plan 2019-2022, several partners already have initiatives up and running to address the issue of the low number of young women attracted to and entering STEM disciplines worldwide.

In her talk, Dorothy Kelly also addressed the role of the university, and namely the European University Alliances, in building a more egalitarian society through education, research, equality and work-life balance policies and plans, and communication with society. Margarita Sánchez Romero, Vice-Rector for University Extension, Heritage and Institutional Relations of the University of Granada, also participated in the programme with the talk “Women’s heritage/knowledge and the construction of Europe”. Margarita took part in the activities of the Action Line “Widening Access, Inclusion and Diversity” during the first Arqus phase. At the end of the session, both highlighted “the enormous honour” of participating in this European Summit.

The University of Granada, the coordinating institution of the Alliance, has also collaborated with the organisation of the accompanying persons’ programme of the European Summit by lending the Palacio de La Madraza, the first public university of Al-Andalus and current headquarters of the Centre for Contemporary Culture of the UGR.