Frederick University collaborates with European academic and research institutions through the HORIZON EUROPE-funded project NEXUS (“Twinning Research and Innovation Institutions to Design and Implement Inclusive Gender Equality Plans”).

The project unites ten institutions from Ireland, Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria, France, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, and Turkey to conduct comparative mapping of gender inequalities, and to develop, implement, and share best practices for inclusive Gender Equality Plans (GEPs). Through this collaboration, NEXUS enhances knowledge exchange, mutual learning, and capacity building among European universities to promote gender equality and institutional inclusiveness.

Within NEXUS, support structures are being created among partners: experienced institutions share their expertise with those that have less experience in developing GEPs. The project analyses how partners with newly established GEPs collect data, evaluate, and design their plans to identify areas for improvement and potential challenges to inclusivity.

The partners held their first in-person meeting at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) on 30–31 January 2024, marking another milestone toward achieving the project’s goals. During the meetings, partners engaged in bilateral and trilateral discussions to exchange views and best practices, and one day was dedicated to a study visit at the host university.

At Frederick University, the project is implemented by the RIGE – Gender Equality and Inclusion Unit. Dr. Petroulla Mavrikou, Associate Professor in the Department of Business Administration and Head of the Unit, stated: “By participating in the NEXUS project, we are taking a further step toward ensuring institutional change in our university concerning gender equality. Together with our partners, we aim to develop inclusive Gender Equality Plans that take into account not only gender but also race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more.”

Frederick University has developed its own cross-sectoral Gender Equality Plan (2021–2025), which commits to eliminating sexual harassment through the adoption of a Code of Practice for the Prevention and Combatting of Harassment and Sexual Harassment, empowering women to pursue leadership roles, integrating gender perspectives in teaching and research, and supporting work–life balance.

The NEXUS project is coordinated by Technological University Dublin (Ireland). Project partners include: Smart Venice (Italy), Frederick University (Cyprus), Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski (Bulgaria), Université du Mans (France), AGH University of Krakow (Poland), Bay Zoltan Nonprofit Ltd. (Hungary), University of Niš (Serbia), Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italy), and Koç University (Turkey).