This Gender Equality Plan (GEP) fulfils the funding requirements of the EU’s research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, and the Research Council of Norway (RCN): all recipients of research funding must have a gender equality plan approved by the institution’s top management.
OsloMet’s statutory obligations to promote equality and prevent discrimination on all grounds are reported annually in the university’s Equality and Diversity Report.
This plan is primarily limited to gender equality, in line with the requirements of the EU and RCN. The European Research Area (ERA) and the RCN have announced increased focus on intersectionality and inclusion (Gender+/Balanse+) going forward. The plan’s future annual revisions will reflect this broader perspective.
The plan is approved and signed by the Rector. The signed document is available in our archive.
Objectives, target group and strategic anchoring
The overarching aim of this plan is to identify and address the gender equality challenges currently faced by OsloMet. How balanced is gender representation across different job categories and academic disciplines? Do we ensure equal opportunities and equal recognition for all staff, regardless of gender? Do we foster an inclusive organisational culture and a safe working environment?
Sub-objectives relate to leadership, competence development, working environment, recruitment, and core activities. The primary target group is employees, although several measures will also directly or indirectly affect students.
To ensure coordination with OsloMet’s statutory duties to promote equality and transparency (ARP), the statistical data required under ARP will form the basis for the data selection in this plan. The databases used (DBH and SAP) currently operate with the categories “male” and “female.” The internal HR system Kjernen has introduced a third category, “other.” OsloMet promotes an inclusive environment in which gender diversity is recognised, taught, and researched.
The university has strong historical and strategic foundations for advancing gender equality. As a university of applied sciences with more than 200 years of history, OsloMet has contributed significantly to women’s entry into the workforce. While equality efforts have historically focused on women, they now encompass ensuring equal rights and opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender.
The equality agenda is firmly anchored in Strategy 2050 and in the university’s vision of developing knowledge that addresses society’s challenges. Achieving this requires the contribution of all great minds—regardless of gender or background—in line with our core value, inclusiveness: OsloMet shall promote equality and diversity. Gender equality work is also embedded in the university’s sub-strategies and in the strategic action plans of the faculties.
The plan’s objectives support OsloMet’s strategic commitments. Sustainable welfare solutions require fair and equitable welfare models. A well-functioning democracy depends on equal opportunities for participation for all. Sustainable development must encompass social sustainability, and competence for an unpredictable world requires access to all available talent.
The following sections set out how OsloMet complies with the requirements of the EU and the RCN, and identify the measures to be prioritised in order to achieve the university´s gender equality objectives.
Requirements and mapping
These are the four mandatory funding requirements set by the EU and RCN for institutions applying for funding.
Public availability, endorsement, communication, and evaluation
OsloMet’s website about diversity and inclusion, serves as a consolidated platform for all strategic and statutory documents related to equality efforts. The Gender Equality Plan is included as part of this resource hub. While there is no formal language requirement, the plan is also available in English to enhance accessibility.
The plan is signed by the Rector and approved by the university’s top management in the University Leadership Meeting (ULM). Gender equality is a leadership responsibility, and ultimate accountability rests with the university's senior management. The plan outlines the need to strengthen the equality function by assigning coordination and resource responsibilities for its implementation and evaluation. These evaluation efforts will be integrated into the annual Equality and Diversity Report, which forms part of OsloMet’s statutory reporting obligations.
Effective communication throughout the organisation is essential to achieve the plan’s objectives. To support this, a dedicated communication has been developed.
Dedicated resources for gender equality
OsloMet has a dedicated position for a Programme Manager for Culture and Diversity, located within the HR department.
The role involves extensive cross-organisational collaboration, regular meetings with the Rector and employee representatives, and leadership of cross-functional working groups on key equality initiatives.
However, this function is not yet integrated into a comprehensive structure with formal reporting lines across the institution. While gender equality is a leadership responsibility, OsloMet should consider establishing a more robust and less person-dependent function to ensure compliance with stricter legal and funding requirements and to strengthen resilience against increasing resistance to diversity and equality in an increasingly complex geopolitical context.
Horizon Europe highlights that a team-based equality function is more effective than delegating responsibility to a single individual. Such a team should possess expertise in equality and diversity management, be embedded throughout the organisation, and have the capacity to mobilise internal resources.
Equality work must not be a side activity but rather an integral part of governance, leadership, and organisational culture. A well-scaled and integrated equality function ensures clear accountability and prevents gender equality from becoming everyone’s responsibility but no one’s task.
OsloMet currently maintains a specific budget allocation for culture and diversity work. A review should ensure realistic alignment between the university’s obligations and ambitions within the equality domain and the resources available.
Local and central diversity funds should be considered holistically, and external funding sources explored. A dedicated equality budget enables long-term planning, secures commitment, and demonstrates that this work is taken seriously. Earmarked resources also provide a stronger foundation for follow-up, evaluation, and targeted initiatives, particularly during periods of financial constraint.
Gender-disaggregated data and annual reporting
OsloMet collects annual gender-disaggregated key data, which are monitored and reported through the Equality and Diversity Report as well as the Annual Report. These data, alongside other findings from equality work, highlight the following key observations:
Gender balance
Women constitute 67 percent of OsloMet’s staff. The distribution varies significantly across units and disciplines. OsloMet has the highest proportion of women in top academic positions (58 percent) among Norwegian universities.
Gender and pay
Recent pay surveys reveal no systematic gender-based pay differences at OsloMet. Pay development by gender is monitored during local negotiations, with a focus on ensuring equal pay for equal work.
Temporary contracts
No significant gender-related differences in temporary employment have been identified.
Part-time work
17 percent of men and 14 percent of women work part-time, primarily due to health issues or external employment. Among permanent part-time employees, 21 percent wish to increase their workload. It remains unclear whether this trend differs by gender.
Parental leave
In 2024, women took an average of 17 weeks of parental leave, compared to 10 weeks for men (shared quota only). While the gender gap has narrowed, it remains noticeable.
Culture and work environment
Diversity and equality are core values actively promoted through OsloMet’s cultural and workplace initiatives.
Sick leave
SAP-Insight data (2021–2024) indicate an average sick leave rate of 6 percent for women and 3 percent for men. The highest absence rates are observed among women aged 50–61 and men aged 40–49.
The main gender equality challenge
The main gender equality challenge at OsloMet remains gender segregation across academic fields and units. Persistent gender imbalances are evident, with female dominance in health, education, and aesthetic disciplines, and male dominance in technology and engineering.
This reflects broader labour market trends and poses challenges to achieving the goal of gender balance across all job categories. “Good gender balance” is typically defined as a distribution within a 60–40 ratio.
A particular focus is needed on recruiting more men into female-dominated disciplines and roles. Gender differences in parental leave uptake continue to persist, potentially impacting long-term career development.
Additionally, high female sick leave rates reduce workforce availability and increase societal costs, particularly in female-dominated sectors such as health and care. Addressing these issues requires more knowledge, improved prevention strategies, and better work–life balance initiatives.
Training and capacity building
OsloMet offers a range of courses, training activities, and academic forums on diversity and equality, including gender equality. These include OsloMet Academy programmes, academic seminars and conferences, the University Library’s Lunch Refill series, and cultural activities for both staff and students.
Topics range from sexual harassment and equitable recruitment to implicit bias, sexual diversity, and the intersection of artificial intelligence and equality. In light of stronger legal requirements, higher expectations from funders, and OsloMet’s own strategic ambitions, a more systematic and long-term approach to competence development across the organisation is warranted.
In spring 2025, two central initiatives have been launched to strengthen and systematise organisational competence in equality.
First, OsloMet has joined a national university-sector collaboration to develop and deliver diversity management training for the higher education sector, supported by the Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research (Kif) and funded by the Directorate for Administration and Financial Management (DFØ) and the EU’s Erasmus+ programme.
Second, internal work is underway to develop an integrated and strategic competence programme for OsloMet employees, with OsloMet Academy serving as the platform. Diversity competence is a key focus area in this development.
Measures
Organisational level – governance and leadership
Goal: OsloMet shall strengthen internal gender equality competence and implement targeted measures to address identified challenges. In alignment with the university’s strategy, OsloMet aims to build capacity for an unpredictable world, where values such as inclusion and equality are increasingly contested.
Leadership responsibility for equality
Strengthen leaders’ competence in gender equality through targeted leadership development, based on identified needs and supported by national collaboration. The training will be adapted to different leadership roles and will include union representatives and safety delegates where relevant.
- Responsibility: HR (central and local)
- Deadline: Development autumn 2025; pilot spring 2026
- Resources: Compensation/release time for experts
Health-promoting work environment
Integrate gender-sensitive prevention and follow-up of sick leave into OsloMet’s mission of promoting a healthy work environment. This includes the analysis of gender-disaggregated sick leave statistics and strengthened leadership competence in gender-conscious workplace practices. Specific factors such as menopause, caregiving responsibilities, and “academic housekeeping” should be further examined.
- Responsibility: OI/HR/HSE
- Deadline: Ongoing
- Resources: Partial allocation of diversity programme resources
Strengthen equality function
Strengthen the integration of equality work into line management and governance structures. Strategic equality matters will be included on the ULM-agenda on a tertial basis. Operational follow-up will be coordinated by a cross-functional team, including faculty representatives, under the leadership of the Programme Manager for Culture and Diversity.
- Responsibility: Programme Manager for Diversity
- Deadline: Autumn 2025
- Resources: Anchored in top management; supported by local staff resources
Inclusive organisational culture and work environment
Further develop the Inclusive OsloMet arena, aligning it with the sub-strategy for societal improvement and the recommended focus areas outlined by Horizon Europe and the RCN.
- Responsibility: Culture Committee and University Library (UB)
- Deadline: Ongoing
- Resources: Within existing mandates of Culture Committee and UB
Faculty and centre level
Goal: To promote gender balance in disciplines with demonstrated imbalances, in alignment with OsloMet’s strategy and the requirements of the EU and the RCN.
Improve gender balance
Units and academic settings with gender imbalances exceeding the 60–40 ratio are identified annually. Long-term targets are established, and tools such as training in equitable recruitment and leadership are implemented. Particular emphasis is placed on achieving gender balance in research teams, which is a funding criterion for grants from the EU and the RCN.
- Responsibility: Faculty/centre HR
- Deadline: From 2025, continuous
- Resources: Within existing HR and leadership roles
Gender perspectives in research and teaching
Integrate gender perspectives where relevant, as required by Horizon Europe and recommended by the RCN. Provide targeted training for R&D leaders, research group leaders, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Responsibility: Faculty and centre management
- Deadline: 2026
- Resources: Digital and human learning resources; supported by sectoral collaboration modules
Recruitment and competence development
Goal: OsloMet shall promote gender balance in all job categories and disciplines and provide targeted training in equality and inclusion.
Gender balance (40–60) in job categories and disciplines
Provide leaders and HR staff with training in equitable recruitment and in EU/RCN requirements for gender-balanced research groups.
- Responsibility: HR (central and local), OsloMet Academy
- Deadline: Spring 2026
- Resources: Internal resources in collaboration with the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud (LDO)
Strengthened equality competence
Develop, in cooperation with the sector, a modular training programme on equality. Focus areas: equality leadership, bias training (gender and other discrimination grounds), and handling sexual harassment.
- Responsibility: Programme Manager for Diversity; OsloMet representative in sector collaboration
- Deadline: Pilot from 2026
- Resources: Partial allocation of programme resources; cooperation with OsloMet Academy, LUN network, and internal/external experts
New knowledge, new practices
Examine links between student gender distribution and labour market gender segregation. Identify and share best practices promoting gender balance. Examples: Men in Nursing (Faculty of Health Sciences) and Women in Technology (Faculty of Technology, Art and Design).
- Responsibility: HR, SK
- Deadline: Spring 2027
- Resources: Working group with key staff from recruitment and HR
