League of European Research Universities (LERU)

The University of Zurich joined LERU, a network of 23 European research-intensive universities, in 2006.

The Office for Gender Equality and Diversity represents UZH in the LERU Policy Group Equality Diversity Inclusion (PG EDI).

PG EDI contributes to LERU’s mission of having a strong and significant impact on research, teaching and learning, innovation and higher education policy in Europe.

It does so by advancing policy and practice on equality, diversity and inclusion for the benefit of all LERU member institutions, by advising national and EU institutions, and by inspiring others to follow LERU’s lead on these issues.

LERU’s members recognize that their ambition to deliver the highest quality in research and teaching and to tackle social challenges is best achieved through equal opportunities to participate and succeed for all students, researchers, teachers, professional staff and academic leaders.

Therefore, PG EDI promotes a vision of equality, diversity and inclusion as lived values, embedded processes and shared responsibilities that are of central importance for research-intensive universities in the following ways:

• Ensuring institutional learning between LERU members by identifying key commonalities and differences as they pertain to the remit
• Formulating and advocating for EDI perspectives on EU policies of particular relevance to LERU 
• Advising and collaborating with other LERU bodies and communities whose remits intersect with EDI issues
• Seeking dialogue with relevant national and international actors
• Organizing and participating in conferences, workshops and other events 

The PG EDI Steering Group consists of:

• Francesca Bucci, LERU Central Office
• Prof. Isabelle Kraus, University of Strasbourg
• Dr. Aya Ezawa, Leiden University
• Dr. Karin Gilland Lutz, University of Zurich (Chair)
• Prof. Lorraine Leeson, Trinity College Dublin
• Prof. Christiane Schwieren, Heidelberg University