Operationalising Gender Integration in the Higher Education Links Scheme

Elisabeth Wilson

Abstract

This paper examines the incorporation of gender into the Higher Education Links (HEL) scheme. The scheme is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), managed by the British Council, and supported by UK universities. Links are established between UK and overseas universities, primarily to enhance research and teaching capacity. The gender sector has additional access to the Gender and Development Small Projects fund, which supports short-term projects with a Higher Education component.

This paper draws on information gathered for a large-scale consultancy conducted for the DFID by the Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester. Data was gathered through questionnaires distributed to UK and in-country co-ordinators, and field visits to 8 countries, which included workshops with participants, stakeholder meetings, and project visits.

In assessing gender, there were three areas for examination:

  1. Projects specifically focused on DFID objectives for gender.
  2. Mainstreaming of gender within other projects.
  3. Integration of gender within the design, planning, implementation and management of individual links.

The main findings were:

  • link proposals generally reflected DFID gender objectives, but some failed to deliver.
  • UK and in-country co-ordinators indicated that a minority of projects overall had gender sensitive research
  • a minority intentionally targeted women beneficiaries
  • nevertheless both UK and in-country co-ordinators considered that half of all projects had a substantial or moderate impact on women, demonstrating mainstreaming
  • the Small Projects fund stimulated innovative ways of meeting gender objectives
  • there were differing views from UK and in-country link co-ordinators as to the extent to which gender considerations were integrated into the design, planning, management and implementation of the scheme.

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