Survey: Gender equality in scientific organizations – deadline 14 May 2025

This survey is part of the 'Advancing gender equality in scientific organization' project – a collective effort to identify and address the structural barriers and enabling factors that influence the representation and participation of women scientists within scientific organizations globally, including in leadership roles.

This initiative builds on earlier studies from 2016, 2020 and 2021, offering comparative insights over a decade. The goal of this project is to better understand how women participate and are represented in scientific organizations today –  and to identify what helps or hinders progress toward greater gender equality in leadership, governance, and recognition. 

Download the official invitation letter – Circulate the official letter of invitation within your organization to initiate internal consultation and support timely participation.

Purpose of the survey

This global survey collects institutional quantitative data on gender representation, governance structures, nomination and election processes, and institutional policies and practices related to gender equality across scientific organizations that are members of the ISC, IAP, and/or SCGES.

The 2025 edition aims to:

• Update the data baseline;
• Assess progress over time; and 
• Inform a data-driven set of recommendations and actions.

Your responses will help identify good practices, highlight persistent barriers, and support scientific organizations in building more inclusive and equitable environments. The findings will enable organizations to benchmark progress, identify gaps, and take informed steps toward more equitable leadership.

A qualitative phase will follow, consisting of a voluntary individual survey and interviews with selected participants. This phase will provide deeper insights into the barriers and enablers shaping women’s experiences in scientific leadership and participation.

Who should complete the survey?

The survey is addressed to:

• Member organizations of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), the International Science Council (ISC) and the Standing Committee for Gender Equality in Science (SCGES) – including academies of science, medicine and engineering, young academies, and international scientific unions, councils and associations.
• Other relevant organizations invited directly by the project team.

Each organization is asked to coordinate a single, consolidated response. We encourage internal collaboration to gather the necessary information. Respondents are welcome to consult colleagues and refer to organizational records as needed.

To support internal consultation and contributions from multiple individuals, a Word version of the survey is available. Please note that while you may use this version to prepare your responses, the final submission must be completed online through the digital survey form, which will be available on this webpage from Wednesday 16 April.

We recognize that completing this survey requires time and effort, and we sincerely appreciate your organization’s contribution to this important international initiative.

Survey documents

Before starting, we recommend reviewing the Word version of the survey and gathering the necessary information across your organization.

Download the Word version of the surveys:

• Academies of science, medicine and engineering, and young academies; 
• International scientific unions, research councils and science associations.

From Wednesday 16 April, you will be able to enter your final answers into the online survey form.

• Link to the online survey: The online form will be available on this webpage starting Wednesday 16 April 2025.
• Estimated time to complete (once all information is gathered): 45–60 minutes
• Deadline to respond: 14 May 2025

Ethics and confidentiality

• This project adheres to international ethical standards for research involving organizations. You can consult our ethical research protocol here.
• Before beginning the online survey, you will be asked to confirm your informed consent.
• The survey does not collect any personal data (such as names or contact details of individuals). All responses will be presented in an aggregated format, except for data on the percentage of women at the organizational level. Sharing these data supports learning, accountability, and informed action toward gender equality.
• All data will be stored securely and treated with strict confidentiality.
• The project is overseen by a dedicated Taskforce and an independent Expert Panel. Together, they ensure ethical integrity and robust data protection throughout the process.

What will happen with the data?

Your response will contribute to a global report on gender equality in scientific organizations, to be published in September 2025. The report will:

• Track changes since 2015 and 2020;
• Highlight successful strategies and gaps;
• Provide evidence-based, actionable recommendations;
• Support continuous monitoring and accountability.

Contacts 

For any comment or feedback about the survey or the project, you can contact Sheila Perosa, at sperosa@twas.org