Promoting Gender Equality in Science – International Conference in Vilnius

The international conference Promoting Gender Equality in Science was held in Vilnius on 20 of November 2012
The conference was organized by the BASNET Forumas association and aimed to discuss the measures of national policies in the frame of implementation of European gender mainstreaming policy in science. 
Among the invited speakers of the conference were the President of the prestigious European women scientists organization European Platform of Women Scientists EPWS, Dr. Brigitte Mühlenbruch, Mrs. D. Grigolovičienė from the Lithuanian Equal Opportunity Office, member of Helisinki group on Women in Science Auša Gribauskienė (Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science), head of Human recourse department of Tartu University Ms M. Nomm (Estonia), and outstanding Lithuanian scientists and science policy makers.
During the conference the results obtained implementing Lithuanian National project “Promoting Gender Equality in Science” (LYMOS) were presented. The project was coordinated by the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and financed by European Structural Funds. The partners of the project were BASNET Forumas association, the Lithuanian Science Council and the Lithuanian National Union of Students.
The two-year lasting LYMOS project was aiming at the implementation of a Lithuanian national strategy- to work out the structural basis for implementation of gender mainstreaming policy in the Lithuanian science system. During the project the legal basis regulating scientific activities was reviewed and recommendations for updates concerned with assurance of equal opportunities in science were worked out; the methods for institutional assessment were reviewed and the development of financial instruments motivating universities and research institutions to take more attention to gender related issues were worked out; the gender sensitive indicators were created and implemented into the national science monitoring system; there was and update of the national Strategy ensuring equal opportunities in sciences; the piloting financial supporting projects directed towards retaining women in sciences after parental leave were implemented and carrier development planning trainings were organized. 
The conference was followed by a press conference participated by the President of the Lithuanian Academy of Science, EPWS president Dr. Brigitte Mühlenbruch, Head of Study, Research and Technology department of Lithuanian Ministry of Education and science Dr. A. Zalys and moderated by the BASNET Forumas President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dalia Satkovskiene
The news about the conference were distributed by the Lithuanian news agency ELTA, presented in most popular news portals DELFI and ALFA, and published in Lithuanian newspapers.