ABSTRACT
Gender and other intersecting differences play a crucial role in all dimensions of society. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that they are considered a fundamental part of knowledge production in education and the research provided in higher education institutions (HEIs). Thus, analysis of gender and intersecting differences should not be left out in any sphere of knowledge production, but should be thoroughly elaborated during the research planning phase, starting from a gender-sensitive literature review of the topic, careful planning of the composition of the research team, considering inclusive recruitment and required expertise, as well as while deciding about methodologies, research questions, data collection, frames of analysis, and dissemination channels of the results. In this chapter, the author reflects upon the implementation of the co-designed Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) tool, which is a checklist on gender dimension of a study intended to use already in the research planning phase. The GIA checklist – available online and as a document – consists of three sets of questions, which can be used to determine whether an intersectional gender perspective is systematically and analytically considered in the content of the research, its justification, the actual execution of the research project, the publication of research results, as well as in their implementation and research impact. The main principles guiding the GIA of a study adhere to the good scientific practices implemented by the European Commission’s (EC) research and innovation Framework Programmes (FPs), the main research-funding instrument. Aligned with the guiding principles of the FPs, the co-designed GIA tool supports the cultivation of capabilities for gender-responsible research.
