Equality, diversity and inclusion
For years, the University has been contributing to the achievement of the goals in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, welcoming and enhancing the uniqueness and therefore the diversity of each individual, through projects and actions aimed at promoting gender equality within the organization, both for the students and for the staff members.
In January 2022, the University implemented a Gender Equality Plan, which was drawn up and supervised by a dedicated work group. The Plan consists of commitments and actions that aim to promote gender equality within the organization, through institutional and cultural changes.
In September 2018, the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice has set up a working group on accessibility, equity and inclusion, chaired by the Rector’s Delegate to Initiatives to aid assistance, integration and wellbeing of persons with disabilities, prof. Giulia Bencini. The group brought together the staff of the main administrative offices that were involved in inclusion and accessibility issues, with the collaboration of all the university members - professors, staff and students.
The University issued a declaration on Ca' Foscari’s commitment to promote actions and behaviours aimed at accessibility, equity and inclusion. Below the official declaration.
- Declaration [ITA]
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Accessibility, equity and inclusion at Ca Foscari - Declaration
Ca 'Foscari University of Venice is aware of its role in society as an academic institution and is committed to contributing to the achievement of the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is in line with the Manifesto "From - Universities for Sustainability - to - Sustainability in Universities” signed by the members of the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) on 30 May 2019.
Ca Foscari follows and promotes universal ethical principles established by the university Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct.
Ca Foscari embraces and promotes the fundamental values of inclusion, respect for all forms of human diversity: physical, psychological, social, linguistic and cultural.
Ca Foscari welcomes and values each person in their uniqueness, and views diversity, as an enrichment and an opportunity for personal growth, dialogue, and respect for points of view different from our own. The University also recognizes that the pursuit of knowledge, higher education and participation in research promote full human development, entry into the workforce and the achievement of freedoms, understood as opportunities to realize personal aspirations.
Ca 'Foscari is aware that ensuring inclusive and quality education for all (SDG 4) is a fundamental tool to:
- reduce inequalities and social and territorial divides (SDG10);
- achieve gender equality (SDG 5);
- promote tolerance among people for the construction of inclusive communities (SDG 11) and peaceful societies (SDG16).
The University adopts the indications of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) and is inspired by the principles of Universal Design and the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), which recognises the role of environmental factors in the creation of vulnerabilities and disability. The University promotes actions on its environments and services to enhance accessibility and ensure equal participation in university life.
The University recognizes that promoting accessibility, equity and inclusion is a dynamic, synergistic and multidisciplinary process, which often results in innovative solutions of high cultural, technological and social value, with the effect of improving universal wellbeing.
Actions for gender equality
The Gender Report 2022[ITA], an essential tool for achieving and implementing gender equality in universities and integrating the gender perspective into all University policies, has been published. It represents an opportunity to measure how much and how the issues of gender equality, equal opportunities and non-discrimination have evolved, in relation to the actions put in place, since 2018, to increasingly reduce the gap between men and women in our academic community and beyond.
Data reported in the Report refer to the calendar year 2021.
The University has developed and supports several actions focused on gender equality. Among them are the handbook for gender language and the most recent incentive plan to increase the number of female students enrolled in STEM programmes. Moreover there is the Equal Opportunities, Employee Well-Being and Inclusion Committee and the Confidential Counsellor. Within the framework of the 2020 -2025 gender equality programme of the EU Commission, a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is required to participate in the calls of the Horizon Europe Programme for Research and Innovation. In line with the definition provided by the EU Commission, the GEP is a set of integrated actions oriented to the creation of a single strategic vision to:
- Identify gender inequalities and distortions;
- Implementing innovative strategies to fix gender inequalities and distortions;
- Defining objectives and monitoring their achievement through specific indicators.
Moreover, efforts will be made to remove obstacles to gender equality, particularly regarding maternity leaves and adoption procedures. The aim is to recognise a suspension of teaching and research activities during the work leave and guarantee an adequate work -life balance.
Gender Reports
| Gender Report 2022 | 4.05 M |
| Gender Report 2018 | 3.04 M |
Gender Equality Plan and monitoring
Implementing the plan on gender equality: pathway against gender-based violence with specific regard to sexual harassment
As part of the Gender Equality Plan and with the institutional and financial support of the Vera Academy Center, an internship project entitled "Implementing the plan on gender equality: pathway against gender-based violence with specific regard to sexual harassment" was launched in the Department of Economics. The project aims to contribute to the training pathway against gender-based violence, in collaboration with the University's Sustainability Office. The research is part of the work on inclusion and equal opportunities of the Department of Economics.
In the framework of the project, an anonymous online questionnaire was created with the aim of investigating both the opinions and any experiences of the participants with respect to the topic of sexual harassment.
The questionnaire was prepared by the student Anna Dabalà, winner of the internship project, with the support of the contact persons and principal investigators: prof. Michele Marzulli and Sara De Vido. Ca' Foscari University’s students are the subjects asked to take part in the survey.
Gender equality certification
Ca' Foscari University of Venice increases its commitment to foster gender equality and enhance differences through the adoption of the "Gender Equality Policies", complemented by the “Gender Equality Plan”.
Gender equality is a key “cross-sectoral” factor of Ca' Foscari, which has included it within its Strategic Plan 2021-2026. After having activated the Gender Equality Plan and having obtained the Family Audit Executive certification, the University has successfully embarked on a new pathway, in continuity with what was already usefully put in place: the certification for gender equality according to the UNI/PdR 125:2022 praxis. A pathway focusing on the subject of respect for all differences, with special attention dedicated to gender equality, characterized by the identification of specific goals and actions aimed at their achievement for the development of an inclusive culture, attentive to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. Ca' Foscari University is the first university in Italy to have obtained, in December 2023, the Uni/PdR 125:2022 gender equality certification from Bureau Veritas.
Last update: 19/12/2024