The ongoing digital transformation in these sectors risks strengthening the existing power structure since both professionals active in digital technologies and university educations are also male dominated.

We have to change that! We have to change it so that all people have the right and opportunity to do what they want, but also because the sectors need more labour and it is stupid to leave half the populations out of question.

Therefore we hereby announce our free webinars aimed at empowering university teachers and researchers to promote gender equality within the bioeconomy sector. Join us for a 30-minute session where you will discover:

• The Bioequality project: mission and goals
• Introduction to the Method manual: be an agent of change in gender inequality during your lectures
• Interactive Q&A session and discussion: share your thoughts and find out everything you need to start a positive change

Choose one of these dates:
• November 21:  12.30-13.00 CET
• November 22: 12.30-13.00 CET
• December 2: 15.00-15.30 CET

Register here

BACKGROUND
THE METHOD MANUAL The ambition with the manual was to create an accessible guide for teachers and students to incorporate a layer of gender issues into digitalisation topics within academic degrees in forestry and agricultural management.

This was pursued as an effort to tackle the extensive inequality within the sectors. The rising digitalisation of the sector, with increasing demand for typically male-dominated competences related to information technology and data analysis accentuates the problem with gender inequality, in itself being remarkably inequal.

The webinars are commissioned as a follow-up project to maximise the value generated in the previous project, with the primary goal being to maximise the reach of the method manual.

The target audience includes researchers on faculties for forestry and agriculture or applied information technology within academic institutions.

The method manual was produced as part of the Bioequality project led by SNS and NKJ during 2020 and 2021.

Scrolla ner för svensk text

The study visit was a pilot project and organized by NKJ and SNS in collaboration with the Nordic Testbed Network. PLEN Living Labs is part of the Nordic Testbed Network, which in turn is run by NKJ and SNS.

– When the evaluation is done, we will see if the students found it as exciting as we do! In that case, we’ll do it again, says Sofie Andersson, project coordinator at NKJ.

– The  purpose is to broaden the students’ understanding of what it can mean to work in the bioeconomy and thereby increase interest among female students in choosing the currently male-dominated educations connected to digitalisation. The sector needs all the smart minds it can get, and then we can’t shut half of the population out! It’s important that everyone in society is represented by those who develop the future technology.

The students, at their final year in high school, were shown how the research is conducted and the purpose with it, but also how the researchers have ended up where they are today. They have all taken more or less crooked paths to their jobs with technology and research for the future green sector. The students themselves are just about to choose which path they will take towards their working life. Maybe they got new ideas about what they want to do after visiting PLEN Living Labs?

Sofia Isgar thought it was nice to get in direct contact with the researchers at PLEN Living Labs and find out more about what an education in the field of natural sciences can lead to.

– I probably knew that agriculture and forestry were quite unequal industries, but not that it is the same in research, she says.

The visit to PLEN Living Labs hasn’t completely convinced her to work in the green sector, but she is planning to go ahead with something in the natural sciences.

Follow the Lars-Erik Larsson students to PLEN Living Labs:

Swedish text

PLEN Living Labs på Köpenhamns Universitet i Taastrup tog emot studenter från Lars-Erik Larsson-gymnasiet i Lund, för att visa upp sin forskning och den senaste tekniken inom det gröna området – inte minst riktat till de kvinnliga studenterna.

Studiebesöket var ett pilotprojekt och anordnades av NKJ och SNS i samarbete med Nordic Testbed Network. PLEN Living Labs är en del av Nordic Testbed Network, som i sin tur drivs av NKJ och SNS.

– När utvärderingen är gjord får vi se om studenterna tyckte att det var lika spännande som vi tycker! I så fall gör vi om det, säger Sofie Andersson, projektsamordnare på NKJ.

– Meningen är att visa hur intressant den gröna sektorn är, inte minst för kvinnor. Sektorn behöver alla smarta hjärnor den kan få, och då kan vi inte stänga ute halva befolkningen! Det är viktigt att alla i samhället är representerade av dem som utvecklar framtidens teknik.

Sistaårsstudenterna fick höra om hur forskningen bedrivs och vad den går ut på, men också hur forskarna har hamnat där de är idag. De har alla tagit mer eller mindre krokiga vägar till sina jobb med teknik och forskning för framtiden i den gröna sektorn. Studenterna själva är i startgroparna att välja vilken väg de ska ta mot sitt arbetsliv. Kanske har de fått nya idéer om vad de vill göra efter besöket på PLEN Living Labs?

Sofia Isgar tyckte det var kul att få direktkontakt med forskarna på PLEN Living Labs och få veta mer om vad man kan göra med en utbildning inom det naturvetenskapliga området.

– Jag visste nog att jord- och skogsbruk var rätt ojämställda branscher, men inte att det är likadant inom forskningen, säger hon.

Besöket på PLEN Living Labs har inte helt övertygat henne om att arbeta inom den gröna sektorn, men något inom naturvetenskap kan det ändå bli till slut.

Role models for a gender balanced digital bioeconomy 

One of the action points suggested in the report Redefining digital bioeconomy to make the digital bioeconomy more gender equal is to increase the number of female role models and thereby diversify the masculine image, creating more inclusiveness. This type of action aims to serve to set an example and encourage women to seek education related to, and employment in, the digital bioeconomy. This alone is not enough considering that the very structures of bioeconomy and tech industries remain masculine, however it is an important stepping stone in increasing the number of females in the sector. 

This discussion forum is part of a series aiming to open up for discussions on how the education of young academics can integrate the gender perspective into the meeting between digitalisation and bioeconomy. The discussion forums are initiated and financed by Nordic Forest Research, Nordic Agri Research and the Nordic Council of Ministers. 

When: 26th of May, 10.00-11.30 CET 
To solve any technical problems, please log in to the discussion forum no later than 09.55 

Where: Online via Zoom 
Participants will be provided with a link to the discussion forum on Monday 24th of May 

RSVP: 19th of May to lovisa.torfgard@analysysmason.com

Agenda

• Welcome and introduction 

• Three inspirational speeches – One teacher, one student and one female role model share their point of view on female role models 

• Group discussions on who are the role models for young women – How is one classified as a role model? Do they have to be women? Is it women far ahead in their careers, that have taken the same path as them, that have the same educational background? 

• Brainstorming ideas on how role models can take a more active role at universities – 

Examples could involve inviting role models to inspirational lectures in courses, ask them to mentor students etc. 

• Reflections in larger group 

• Closing remarks 

Welcome!

Networks and mentorship programs to empower young professionals in the digital bioeconomy

Two of the action points suggested in the report Redefining digital bioeconomy to make the digital bioeconomy more gender equal are mentorship programs and networks. Mentorship programs can empower young female graduates to pursue careers in the digital bioeconomy. Setting up mentorship programs is however associated with challenges and in need of reflective thinking. It important to remember is that the aim is not change women to be “better” or “more like men”, but rather for men and women to be equals. Furthermore, networks for young professionals and students in the bioeconomy are valuable for strengthening connections, facilitating discussions, and increasing inclusive involvement for students and workers. Peer support is important in succeeding in male dominated industries, where the peer support can come from both men and women. 

This discussion forum is part of a series of aiming to open up for discussions on how the education of young academics can integrate the gender perspective into the meeting between digitalisation and bioeconomy. The discussion forums are initiated and financed by Nordic Forest Research, Nordic Agri Research and the Nordic Council of Ministers. 

When: 2th of June, 10.00-11.30 CET 
To solve any technical problems, please log in to the discussion forum no later than 09.55 

Where: Online via Zoom 
Participants will be provided with a link to the discussion forum on Monday 31st of May 

RSVP: 26th of May to lovisa.torfgard@analysysmason.com 

Agenda 

• Welcome and introduction 

• Three inspirational speeches – One teacher, one student and one network member share their point of view on networks and mentorship programs 

• Group discussions on what role existing networks and mentorship programs have – How do employer female networks work and how do they differ from third party networks? What do mentorship programs 

• Brainstorming ideas on how networks and mentorship programs can take a more active role at universities 

• Reflections in larger group 

• Closing remarks 

Welcome!