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Support for women in science

The University of Warsaw implements measures aimed at increasing women’s access to higher education and to the early stages of academic careers, particularly in fields where women remain underrepresented. These measures focus on key moments of educational decision-making and the initial stages of academic career development and are designed to reduce structural, informational, and cultural barriers.

The initiatives undertaken include both information and outreach activities, as well as mentoring and networking-based forms of support addressed to women entering higher education or beginning an academic career. An important component of these efforts consists of university-wide support networks for doctoral candidates, which facilitate entry into the academic environment and support adaptation to its specific conditions. The institutional framework for these activities is provided by the University’s equality policies, in particular the Gender Equality Plan and the Inclusive Gender Equality Plan.

The Gender Equality Plan for the University of Warsaw (GEP) for the years 2020–2024 constitutes an institutional policy document defining the principles and directions of the University’s actions in the field of equal treatment. A central role within the GEP is played by Goal 3, which focuses on gender-balanced recruitment of employees and doctoral candidates in doctoral schools. The document highlights, among other issues, the need to counteract gender stereotypes in science, to promote female role models in male-dominated fields, and to carry out information and promotional activities encouraging women to apply in areas where their participation remains lower.

These assumptions are continued in the University of Warsaw’s Inclusive Gender Equality Plan for 2026–2030. The new Plan represents the next stage of the University of Warsaw’s equality policy, expanding on the solutions developed as part of the first Gender Equality Plan for 2020–2024 and responding to the emerging needs of the academic community.

One of its key areas remains supporting women’s equal participation in science and creating conditions conducive to their professional and scientific development, including through activities supporting women’s careers, mentoring, and leadership development programs. At the same time, the new Plan is broader and more inclusive, addressing various barriers that may impact development opportunities and providing actions for individuals and groups particularly vulnerable to unequal treatment. It includes, among other things, equal recruitment, counteracting discrimination, reconciling work and family life, developing a support system, and integrating a gender and diversity perspective into research and teaching.

For several years, the University has been implementing two major support programmes for women at the beginning of their academic careers, both of which have attracted considerable interest:

  • The Networking Group for Women PhD Candidates at the University of Warsaw is a horizontal initiative consisting of meetings for women pursuing doctoral studies, aimed at creating a safe space for the exchange of experiences, mutual support and the building of academic networks. The meetings are open and informal in nature and adress topics such as challenges in academic work, publication strategies, grant applications. and balancing professional and private life
  • The “Young Women Researchers and Teachers” is a development programme based on mentoring and coaching for women at an earlystage of their academic careers, complemented by individual career planning and development counselling. The programme offers practical scientific and leadership training and aims to strengthen women’s research potential, prepare them for grant applications and habilitation, and support the development of professional support networks.

At the level of faculties and organisational units of the University of Warsaw, concrete initiatives are implemented to translate these assumptions into practice. These include, among others, events promoting the participation of women and girls in science, particularly in the natural and technical sciences, information meetings, and activities promoting women’s research careers in specific disciplines.

Examples of initiatives supporting women in science implemented by UW faculties and units include:

Other initiatives implemented by UW faculties and organisational units are collected in a compilation of good practices.

The prohibition of discrimination on the basis of gender is an important aspect of the University’s equal treatment and anti-discrimination policy.

The following is a list of the most important UW documents in this regard: