RFP - PB10EDU52024 - UKIERI 4: Strand 2 - Leadership Development Programme for Women

Tender description

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Over the past 18 years, UKIERI has facilitated hundreds of mutually beneficial collaborations in education, research and innovation, and it has been instrumental in contributing to UK and Indian national priorities in science and technology<br />UKIERI - 4 will catalyse high-quality, international collaborative research, bringing together wide-ranging disciplines such as STEM, behavioural sciences to take a 360-degree approach to solving the global challenges outlined in the UK and India’s strategies. UKIERI-4 programme will respond to the demand for enhanced research and innovation in both countries through supporting the mutual exchange of knowledge and ideas at the level of policy makers and system leaders, academics, and researchers. Moreover, UKIERI 4 will contribute to building a high-quality pipeline of talented researchers in both countries through focusing on the development of early career researchers. <br />UKIERI-4 will have a tripartite approach to promote stronger collaboration between UK-India in research-innovation and building people and systemic capacity through: <br /><br />• Institutional research and mobility partnerships in multidisciplinary areas of mutual priority to address global challenges. <br />• Women Empowerment to mainstream gender in the leadership and governance roles in science and research<br />• innovation clusters for inclusive talent development to build a pipeline of talented researchers able to engage in international multidisciplinary research through capacity-building programmes, mentoring opportunities and providing access to professional development networks and resources, including our UKIERI alumni network.<br /><br />Overview of the Department of Science and Technology <br />Department of Science & Technology (DST) was established in May 1971, with the objective of promoting new areas of Science & Technology and to play the role of a nodal department for organising, coordinating and promoting S&T activities in the country. The Department is responsible for formulating policies relating to science and technology in the country and application of science and technology for weaker sections, women and other disadvantaged sections of society.<br /><br />Background<br />The gender gap in Indian science resembles a pyramid. The greatest number of women are at the lower levels, as students and at state and central universities. As newer and older studies (R. Godbole and R Ramaswamy, 2015) have shown, most women in science occupy the PhD and graduate levels, their numbers dwindling as we go up to postdocs, assistant, associate, and full professorships. In leadership positions, the strength of women in science in numbers drops further. More eminent the institute, fewer women scientists are likely to be found there. In terms of recognition, the committee that makes the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards – the top science award in India – in the last 2 consecutive years failed to see any women scientists worthy of the honour.<br />The low numbers of women in science and the topology of the gender gap reflect that India’s science leaders have not quite got the memo about the global drive in science to correct historic wrongs that have overlooked women in knowledge-making, as well as realise that science benefits from diversity. Not only is there an epistemic advantage to social and cognitive diversity but also a boost the translatability of science done in the labs to the wider public.<br /><br />Programme Details<br />The British Council along with DST recently concluded a programme Gender Advancement through Transforming Institutions (GATI) to introduce a gender equality framework. The project aimed to promote gender inclusivity in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) by encouraging institutions of higher education and research in India towards a more gender equitable and inclusive future. The programme was designed to improve gender parity in STEMM institutions by examining the extent to which policies and practices in the participating STEMM institutions are inclusive, the level of awareness of the policies and the attitude and perception of stakeholders regarding gender advancement. At pilot stage, 6 UK HEIs had partnered with 30 Indian HEIs for this programme. This strand of UKIERI will be built on the British Council and DST experience of delivering the GATI programme. <br />As a step forward British Council in partnership with DST has designed a Women in Leadership strand under UKIERI -4. This strand is aimed to design a women in leadership development framework and deliver a training programme to 200-250 early career researchers by March 2025.<br /><br />Project Model<br />The project aims to develop a women leadership development framework to support institutions in strengthening their gender-inclusive practices and policies, specifically around science and research. It will also support knowledge exchange and mentoring opportunities for 200-250 women early career researchers. The developed framework will build an understanding and provide guidance to their particular social and professional challenges. Mentoring and training workshops will provide pathways for rising the ladder and attaining leadership position in science and research careers. <br />Strong supporting network contributing to enhanced productivity of science research and providing a gender perspective to research in Space including themes remote sensing, Astrophysics, Astronomy, Material Science, satellite, telecommunication, telescope etc. This is an indicative and not an exhaustive list. <br /><br />The services are required for The British Council Division India.<br /><br />Agreement will be for 9-10 months. The Contract awarded will be for a duration of implementation of the entire project deliverables is 31 March 2025. There will not be any extension to the date of completion of the entire programme.<br /><br />