Joint Strategy Paper

Strategy Paper

This strategy paper is the result of the multilateral partnership “Work-Life Balance and gender specific career patterns in higher education and science” funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme Leornardo da Vinci, during the period August 1, 2008 to July 31, 2010.

Our joint strategy is the result of systematic exchange of knowledge, data, and experiences. It is the aim to support transparency, information, and orientation concerning Europe-wide mobility, to support gender equality and to increase the share of women among academic staff. It should be helpful to individuals, equity officers, and trade unions.

In section 1 we look at the academic workplaces in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany and the combination of teaching and research work with caring responsibility for children, handicapped, elderly or sick relatives.

In section 2 we make improvement proposals. We initially agree upon five common goals to achieve work-life balance for university teachers and researchers. In this section we also list various examples of actions which can be taken to achieve these aims.

In section 3 we present actions to be taken at national and institutional levels in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany respectively. We make suggestions on actions to be implemented at the European level by the European Commission and within the scope of the Bologna process. And we offer some advice to other European unions and to EI/ETUCE.