The European Platform of Women Scientists invites you to our milestone Annual Conference 2025, marking two decades of advocacy, progress, and collaboration in advancing gender equality in European research.
The 2025 edition of the EPWS Annual Conference is particularly meaningful, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the European Platform of Women Scientists. To celebrate this important milestone, the conference will finally return to an in-person format, allowing us to reconnect, exchange, and reflect together.
The conference will focus on progress, renewal, and future aspirations in European research and science policy, within a context that presents new challenges to the empowerment of women scientists.
We have chosen this topic because of this historical moment in which the core values of gender equity are being challenged. It is crucial to critically reflect whether this backlash might also affect Europe, and how policies that have supported and promoted women in research and innovation as well as the integration of the gender dimension in research may be advocated for and strengthened by our joint effort.
EVENT DETAILS
- Dates: November 20-21, 2025
- Venue: Maison des Associations Internationales, Rue Washington 40, 1050 Brussels
- Theme: “Empowering Women Scientists: 20 Years of EPWS and the Road Ahead”
- Registration: Free (Limited to 75 participants)
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1 – November 20
- Opening reflections on EPWS’s 20-year journey and impact
- Lina Gálvez Muñoz, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality – FEMM, member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and Vice-chair of STOA – Panel for the Future of Science and Technology of the European Parliament. FEMM Committee’s perspective on gender equality issues in EU science: problems, perspectives and solutions.
- EU Commission update by Kateřina Svíčková (DG Research & Innovation) on current priorities and future perspectives
- Round table: Empowering Women Scientists: 20 Years of EPWS and the Road Ahead. Progress, challenges, and future aspirations in European research and science policy
Flavia Zucco, Donne e Scienza, Member of the EPWS Founding Board. Research Director, Italian National Research Council (CNR), retired. Women and Science: From Past Aspirations to Present Realities, Vision and Memory.
Liisa Husu, Helsinki Association of Women Researchers – HELWOR, Member of the EPWS Founding Board. Senior Professor of Sociology, Division of Gender Studies and Sociology, Centre for Feminist Social Studies, Örebro University, Sweden; Affiliated scholar, Department of Management and Organisation, Hanken School of Economics, Finland. Gender, Equality and Higher Education: What Has and Has Not Changed?
Marileen Dogterom, Professor at the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience at Delft University of Technology and President of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Academy’s role in times of geopolitical conflicts.
- Evening networking get-together
Day 2 – November 21
- Keynote by Katharina Miller: “Equity by Design: Embedding Ethics and Inclusion into the DNA of Science”
- Member presentations showcasing innovation and progress
- Interactive sessions on shaping the future of gender equality in research
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
- EPWS member networks and partner organizations
- Research policymakers and EU institution representatives
- Women scientists and researchers at all career stages
- University leadership and research institution directors
- Industry R&D leaders committed to diversity
The EPWS 2025 Annual Conference offers a unique opportunity to reflect on two decades of progress while charting the course for transformative change in European research. Join us in Brussels to celebrate achievements, address ongoing challenges, and collaborate on solutions for a more equitable research landscape.