Developing Learning Circles: ‘Sharing and Learning’ from the GENOVATE Project

Abstract

Research institutions, universities and organisations at large have a growing interest for gender equality and diversity to be integrated into all stages of research and innovation including strategic planning, promotion, recruitment, performance reporting and transformation. Creating and finding open spaces where these processes can be approached from different perspectives, in which multiple stakeholders can express and share their interests and experiences, and where critical conversations, discussions and knowledge sharing can take place is fundamental for advancing collaborative projects and actions aimed at profound organisational change. Learning Circles, therefore, are useful resources that facilitate organisational safe spaces where multiple stakeholders from different backgrounds, sectors, disciplines, and nationalities reflect, in a relaxed and collaborative atmosphere, about gender equality and diversity as collective projects; and their impact and relevance for/in research and innovation fields. The advantages of Learning Circles are manifold: they represent intersectional, interdisciplinary and even transnational arenas and opportunities for experience sharing, and knowledge generation/transfer.