The EU Member States and many countries outside the European Union are facing similar challenges in terms of gender equality in the area of science, technology and innovation (STI): gender-related biases are leading to horizontal and vertical segregation. The perception of and support for gender equality varies significantly across cultures. Cultural and institutional barriers turn women away from STI and affect their careers.

The EU has developed a strategy for promoting gender equality along three objectives of the European Research Area, i.e., gender equality in scientific careers, gender balance in decision-making and the integration of the gender dimension in research and innovation (R&I) content. There is increasing interest from third countries to cooperate with the EU in the field of STI and encourage the mobility of researchers. It is therefore important to develop common solutions for common challenges regarding gender inequalities in STI. The GENDER STI investigates how gender equality matters are taken into consideration at different levels of international cooperation in the area of STI between the EU and a selected set of third countries and provide insightful learnings and recommendations on how to address gender equality in R&I within the EU STI dialogue with key international partners.