| Abstract [eng] |
Most academic systems and structures, as they exist today, are based on models which were designed centuries ago, at a time when men exclusively predominated in universities. There is certain scepticism towards what can be achieved, though. A continuing evident gap is apparent between principles, rhetoric and reality. In 2010, women were pursuing upper secondary and higher education more actively than men, but, evidently, women remain more strongly underrepresented among researchers than among highly qualified professionals in traditionally maledominated scientific and professional fields. This could point towards a situation where the organisational culture mounts resistance against the integration of women. Briefly, they require but often lack conceptual frameworks. The purpose of this study was to examine how institutional culture promoted or impeded the implementation of one of the EU flagship initiatives 'Implementing structural change in research organizations/universities' in Lithuania, which should be designed to improve the institutional culture for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a conceptual framework and methodology was developed for designing institutional transformational change at STEM faculties of University to sustain the practice of gender equality. In the second stage, the design of the Model Institutional Transformational Change was attempted to be conceptualized in order to achieve change on institutional, departmental and individual levels. |
