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The Bilkent University Gender Equality Plan (BGEP for short) is a working document intended to set\u00a0the framework for all activities that are aimed at securing gender equality in education, research, and\u00a0innovation, for all university stakeholders. Bilkent University is committed to maintaining an equal\u00a0opportunity environment in all of its functions. The BGEP aims to facilitate the mechanisms to cultivate\u00a0this environment and to improve upon the existing policies for promoting gender equality.<\/p>\n
Bilkent University has adopted a non-discrimination statement declaring: The BGEP is based on the earlier preliminary Bilkent Gender Equality Plan Report (BGEP-R), which was\u00a0prepared by a team of faculty members, in collaboration with several deans, faculty members,\u00a0managers of administrative units, administrative staff and students, and was finalized in May 2022.<\/p>\n During the preparation of the preliminary BGEP-R, a representative sample of faculties, university\u00a0administrative units and students from different departments were selected to assess the current state\u00a0and collect feedback regarding gender issues in the university. Both numerical data and personal\u00a0opinions were requested from these sources. The BGEP-R team also conducted surveys with faculty The Rector formed a four-member committee to finalize the BGEP draft in July 2022. The resulting\u00a0draft document was further developed in collaboration with the Rector\u2019s Office and later presented to\u00a0the university Senate. The Senate ratified the BGEP as a working document to be communicated within\u00a0the institution and published on the Bilkent University website. The BGEP demonstrates Bilkent\u00a0University\u2019s commitment to gender equality, as well as setting clear goals and an action plan toward <\/p>\n <\/p>\n OBJECTIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n Objective 1: Institutionalization <\/strong><\/p>\n Bilkent University has a well-established policy of non-discrimination for allstaff and students in regard\u00a0to their gender, race, color, age, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation, regarding their access\u00a0to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to them. In\u00a0this respect, all decisions undertaken by the administration of the university are free of gender\u00a0discrimination.<\/p>\n Regarding the implementation, coordination, and monitoring of this policy by university administrative units and faculties, a Gender Equality Committee (GEC) is to be established as detailed below:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Action: Gender Equality Committee (GEC)<\/strong><\/p>\n Objective 2: Data Collection and Monitoring<\/strong><\/p>\n It is imperative that gender equality actions are supported by continuous data collection and\u00a0monitoring. The preliminary findings outlined in BGEP-R are an important step in this direction,\u00a0establishing the basis for further data collection needs and methods. With the goal of continuous data\u00a0collection and monitoring regarding gender equality in the university, the following actions are to be Action 1. Collection of official gender related statistics (conducted annually)<\/strong><\/p>\n Action 2. A survey for faculty and administrative staff to monitor the perception among employees\u00a0(conducted every three years)<\/strong><\/p>\n Action 3. A survey for students to monitor the perception among students (conducted every three\u00a0years) <\/strong><\/p>\n Action 4. Publishing and monitoring the collected data <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Objective 3: Training and Capacity Building <\/strong><\/p>\n Implicit bias is an important impediment against gender inclusivity, meritocracy, and fairness. The\u00a0preliminary BGEP-R survey results indicate that while the majority ofrespondents(student, faculty and\u00a0staff) believe thatthere is equal treatment along the lines of gender at Bilkent University, there is room\u00a0for improvement regarding awareness raising and training for gender equality.<\/p>\n In light of the existing circumstances and the feedback received from the preliminary BGEP-R survey,\u00a0following actions are to be taken for training of students, faculty members and administrators:<\/p>\n Action 1.<\/strong> Organization of sessions during the orientation program at the beginning of each academic\u00a0year for incoming undergraduate and graduate students to raise awareness on gender equality and to\u00a0highlight unconscious gender biases.<\/p>\n Action 2.<\/strong> Organization of training sessions at the beginning of each academic year for incoming faculty\u00a0and teaching assistants on gender equality in classrooms and other learning settings.<\/p>\n Action 3.<\/strong> Holding seminars and presentations on gender issues in academic and professional life.<\/p>\n Action 4.<\/strong> Training of administrators and people in the hiring committees regarding conscious and\u00a0unconscious forms of discrimination in personnel selection procedures.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Objective 4: Organizational Culture and Work-life Balance<\/strong><\/p>\n Organizational culture and work-life balance are key factors that contribute to creating an enabling\u00a0environment for members of all genders in the research and teaching sectors. Implicit or explicit biases\u00a0are detrimental factors against gender equality, as they impact the way organizations operate. To\u00a0combat biases, the following actions are to be taken:<\/p>\n Action 1. Transparency<\/strong><\/p>\n Action 2. Mitigating Gender Bias<\/strong><\/p>\n Action 3. Integrating the Gender Dimension into Research, Teaching and Training <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Objective 5: Gender Equality in Recruitment, Career Progression, and Leadership<\/strong><\/p>\n Bilkent University adopts an equal opportunity perspective in all of its functions, including recruitment\u00a0and career progression. In particular, all job announcements, interviews, and career progression\u00a0processes are carried out with a gender neutral approach. Merit is the single most important factor in\u00a0all recruitment and promotion decisions.<\/p>\n Gender balance is desirable for institutions to fully realize the potential values of their members.\u00a0Statistics show that women are sometimes reluctant to apply for decision-making positions, especially\u00a0in male dominated contexts. Hence, it is worth supporting and encouraging members of all genders to\u00a0apply for decision-making positions. The preliminary BGEP-R survey results indicate that there is room\u00a0for improvement in reaching a gender balance in decision making positions across the university. To\u00a0improve university\u2019s standing with regard to this goal, the following actions are to be taken:<\/p>\n Action 1.<\/strong> Organization of awareness-raising activities regarding diversity, inclusion, biases for\u00a0academic and non- academic members of the university, especially for those in the leadership\u00a0positions.<\/p>\n Action 2.<\/strong> Propose long-term plans towards improving gender balance in academic and non-academic\u00a0leadership positions across the university.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Objective 6: Combating Against Gender-based Violence and Sexual Harassment<\/strong><\/p>\n Bilkent University is committed to creating a safe, inclusive and productive learning environment and\u00a0working space for all of its students and staff. For this purpose, the university is also committed to\u00a0promoting equity and improving the existing policies and mechanisms for combating gender-based\u00a0violence and sexual harassment. The university has recently established the Sexual Harassment\u00a0Reporting and Prevention Unit (SHARP). The following actions are to be taken with regard to this topic:<\/p>\n Action 1. Publish an online policy document concerning sexual harassment<\/strong><\/p>\n Action 2. Maintain and promote SHARP unit to combat gender-based violence and sexual harassment<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n APPENDIX: The National Context<\/strong><\/p>\n Turkey is party to important international conventions that guarantee gender equality, including the\u00a0International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social\u00a0and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women\u00a0(CEDAW) as well as the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental\u00a0Freedoms (ECHR) and the Protocol No 7 to the ECHR, the European Social Charter and the Council of\u00a0Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.<\/p>\n Article 10 of the Turkish Constitution guarantees equality before the law. According to the said\u00a0provision, \u201cEveryone is equal before the law without distinction as to language, race, colour, sex,\u00a0political opinion, philosophical belief, religion and sect, or any such grounds. (Paragraph added on May\u00a07, 2004; Act No. 5170) Men and women have equal rights. The State has an obligation to ensure that\u00a0this equality exists in practice. (Sentence added on September 12, 2010; Act No. 5982) Measures taken\u00a0for this purpose shall not be interpreted as contrary to the principle of equality. (Paragraph added on\u00a0September 12, 2010; Act No. 5982) Measures to be taken for children, the elderly, disabled people,\u00a0widows and orphans of martyrs as well as for the invalid and veterans shall not be considered as\u00a0violation of the principle of equality. No privilege shall be granted to any individual, family, group or\u00a0class. State organs and administrative authorities are obliged to act in compliance with the principle of\u00a0equality before the law in all their proceedings.\u201d<\/p>\n The principle of gender equality is also secured in the Turkish Civil and Criminal Codes as well as in the\u00a0Law on the Protection of Family and Prevention of Violence Against Woman. The Labour Act regulates\u00a0the principle of non-discrimination in employment relations. Under Article 5 of the Act, \u201cNo\u00a0discrimination based on language, race, sex, political opinion, philosophical belief, religion and sex or\u00a0similar reasons is permissible in the employment relationship. Unless there are essential reasons for\u00a0differential treatment, the employer must not make any discrimination between a full-time and a parttime employee or an employee working under a fixed-term employment contract (contract made for\u00a0a definite period) and one working under an open-ended employment contract (contract made for an\u00a0indefinite period). Except for biological reasons or reasons related to the nature of the job, the\u00a0employer must not make any discrimination, either directly or indirectly, against an employee in the\u00a0conclusion, conditions, execution and termination of his (her) employment contract due to the\u00a0employee’s sex or maternity. Differential remuneration for similar jobs or for work of equal value is\u00a0not permissible. Application of special protective provisions due to the employee’s sex shall not justify\u00a0paying him (her) a lower wage. If the employer violates the above provisions in the execution or\u00a0termination of the employment relationship, the employee may demand compensation up his (her)\u00a0four months’ wages plus other claims of which he (she) has been deprived. Article 31 of the Trade\u00a0Unions Act is reserved. While the provisions of Article 20 are reserved, the burden of proof in regard\u00a0to the violation of the above \u2013 stated provisions by the employer rests on the employee. However, if\u00a0the employee shows a strong likelihood of such a violation, the burden of proof that the alleged\u00a0violation has not materialized shall rest on the employer\u201d.<\/p>\n At institutional level, the Council of Higher Education adopted the Position Paper on Gender Equality\u00a0in Higher Education in 2015 and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)\u00a0published the Policy Guidelines for Increasing the Participation of Women Researchers in TUBITAK\u00a0processes in 2019.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [ Approved by the University Senate on 12 September 2022 ] The Bilkent University Gender Equality Plan (BGEP for short) is a working document intended to set\u00a0the framework for all activities that are aimed at securing gender equality in education, research, and\u00a0innovation, for all university stakeholders. Bilkent University is [\u2026] <\/p>\n
\n\u201cBilkent University hires academic and administrative staff and admits students without regard to\u00a0gender identity, race, color, age, national or ethnic origin or sexual orientation, to all the rights,\u00a0privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to staff and students at the\u00a0university. It does not discriminate on the basis of gender identity, race, color, age, national or ethnic\u00a0origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs,\u00a0<\/em>or athletic and other university-administered programs.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n
\nmembers, administrative staff, and students. During the preparation of the preliminary BGEP-R, the\u00a0following resources were extensively used throughout the document: Horizon Europe Guidance on\u00a0Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) of European Commission; Gender Equality in Academia and Research\u00a0GEAR tool, European Institute for Gender Equality; \u201cImplicit bias in academia: A challenge to the\u00a0meritocratic principle and to women\u2019s careers \u2013 And what to do about it\u201d, LERU Advice Paper 2018.\u00a0The legal and institutional settings that form the national context are summarized in the Appendix.<\/p>\n
\nachieving these goals.<\/p>\n\n
\ntaken:<\/p>\n\n
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