03/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday, 3 February, the European Commission announced the winners of the fourth edition of the EU Award for Gender Equality Champions in Research and Innovation, which rewards universities and organisations for exemplary implementation of policies that further inclusivity. Gender equality is one of Horizon Europe’s priorities, and developing action plans for gender equality is a prerequisite for participating in this framework programme. In the ‘Sustainable Gender Equality Champion’ category, Germany’s Bielefeld University was honoured. The Open University of Catalonia (Spain) was rewarded for its progressive 15-year journey, which has led to its fifth plan. The ‘Newcomer’ prize has gone to the Jozef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and to Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic). Finally, University College Cork (Ireland) was recognised for its inclusive, intersectional initiatives. (NP)