Faculty of Physical Education (UNIBL) gender equality plans

Faculty of Physical Education and Sport

University of Banja Luka (UNIBL)

The SUPPORTER project aims to foster gender-related, sustainable, and transformative institutional changes in sports higher education institutions paying specific attention to the challenge of gender-based violence and leading to the development of inclusive, innovative, intersectional and impactful gender equality plans (4I-GEPs).

The transformation of existing institutional GEPs into 4I-GEPs is achieved through the co-design and implementation of individual roadmaps, tailored to the needs of each implementing organisation.

The University of Banja Luka roadmap encompasses a set of Grounding Actions (GAs) to be implemented from March 2024 to June 2025. These actions address mandatory and recommended thematic GEP elements (Horizon Europe Guidance on Gender Equality Plans) under-addressed in the IO’s existing institutional GEP. Critical challenges, including engagement and participation barriers in implementing the roadmaps, resource limitations and organisational resistance, have been identified, alongside measures to effectively address them.

Learn more about the development of the roadmaps

About The University of Banja Luka

The University of Banja Luka is the largest in the Republic of Srpska. UNIBL consists of 18 organisational units and one of them is the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport. Studies at the Faculty are organised at two levels (bachelor and master) in sports science and physical education and sports.

GEP at the University of Banja Luka (UNIBL) has been signed by the Rector of the University and adopted by the Senate. It is a public document available in the local language and English language version published on the website of the UNIBL.

The University of Banja Luka

Summary of UNIBL grounding actions

GA1 – Raising awareness on gender equality in sports environments GA2 – Development of Guidelines for provision of support during and after the career break GA3- Organising training on embedding the gender dimension into research and teaching content GA4- Establishing a support system at the Faculty level GA 5- Sharing knowledge on GBV and sexual harassment in sports environment

GA1 – Raising awareness on gender equality in sports environments

Details: awareness-raising activities on gender equality and understanding of gender issues, stereotypes and biases among staff, students and external stakeholders in the academic sport environment.

GEP elements: Mandatory: Training and awareness-raising

Thematic: Work-life balance and organisational culture; Gender balance in leadership and decision-making

Implementation plan:

Select the presentation topics and design of the panel discussion
Set up external panellist members
Develop a pre/post workshop/panel discussion questionnaire
Organise workshop/panel discussion events (students/staff)

GA2 – Development of Guidelines for provision of support during and after the career break

Details: The main goal of this action is to ensure that all staff, and in particular academic staff, have sufficient support during and after career breaks such as long-term illness, parental leave, care duties that prevent them from actively engaging for longer periods (more than 15 days), etc.

GEP elements: Mandatory: Dedicated resources

Thematic: Work-life balance and organisational culture

Implementation plan:

Establish a team for the development of Guidelines
Draft the Guidelines,
Discuss the Guidelines with the staff and receiving feedback,
Adoption of the Guidelines by the Faculty management.

GA3- Organising training on embedding the gender dimension into research and teaching content

Details: Training activities on embedding gender dimension into research and teaching content in sports studies at the Faculty through organising workshops and supporting the development of research projects with integrated gender dimension.

GEP elements: Mandatory: Training and awareness-raising

Thematic: Integration of the gender dimension into research and teaching content

Implementation plan:

Establish a proactive network (Supporter member team/staff/students) for embedding gender dimension into presentations, seminars, diploma or master thesis
Create the teaching content of the workshop and select the methodology of the workshop
Develop a pre/post-workshop questionnaire
Oganise workshops (one for staff and one for students)

GA4- Establishing a support system at the Faculty level

Details: GA4 is focused on establishing support provision activities on preventing and combating gender-based violence and sexual harassment (GBV and SH) both at the Faculty and in sport in general through establishing a support system at the Faculty in cases of GBV and SH, as well as through providing training on GBV and SH in sports environment.

GEP Elements: Mandatory: Training and awareness-raising

Thematic: Measures against gender-based violence, including sexual harassment

Implementation plan:

Appoint the persons of trust.
Train for persons of trust.
Establish a procedure for reporting GBV and SH at the Faculty level - elaboration of the proposal.
Adopt procedures for reporting GBV and SH at the Faculty level.

GA 5- Sharing knowledge on GBV and sexual harassment in sports environment

Details: The GA aims to increase students' and Faculty staff's knowledge on how to recognise and act upon gender-based violence and sexual harassment in sports environments and in general.

GEP elements: Mandatory: Training

Thematic: Measures against gender-based violence, including sexual harassment

Implementation plan:

Select experts to promote the Guidelines and raise awareness activities
Promote the Guidelines for the prevention of GBV and SH and the raising awareness workshop