The University of Salerno is the third university in the South of peninsular Italy, with a campus structure of about 2 km² in extent and more than 40,000 students. It has 17 Departments. Particularly sensitive to gender issues, the Athenaeum has already carried out some actions in the field of gender equality such as courses on women history and gender studies for students, the opening of its own nursery, and the approval of the first gender budgeting.
In 2011 the Observatory for the Gender studies and Equal Opportunity (OGEPO) has been created. Among its objectives we can mention: the creation of a networking forum to connect the University of Salerno on a provincial, regional, national and international scale for the exchange and circulation of information and the planning of interventions on gender themes; the organisation of training courses and teaching initiatives on gender equality; the participation in national, European and international research projects. OGEPO supports UniSa for implementing R&I PEERS.
The Gender Equality Plan set up in the framework of the project R&I PEERS represents the UNISA renewed, stronger commitment in the field of gender equality, with a special attention to the STEM disciplines. Its aim is to develop a gender perspective in research and curricula; introduce the use of gender-sensitive language; improve the work-life balance measures; increase gender equality awareness in the organisation; realise mentoring programs for female young researchers; reducing gender gap in decision-making bodies.
This initiative was co-organized with Prof. Pelizzari, President of OGEPO and coordinator of the R&I Peers Project and Prof Loredana Incarnato, full professor of chemical engineering at the department of Industrial Engineering of University of Salerno and Leader of the WorkPackage 4 of the R&I Peers Project.