Gender equality

3

Women’s studies at TSATU

In 2024, a total of 2,345 applicants were admitted to the university. Of these, 1,720 enrolled in Bachelor’s programmes, including 316 women, representing over 18% of all Bachelor’s entrants. At the Master’s level, 625 applicants were admitted, among whom 149 were women – almost 24% of all Master’s entrants. Overall, women accounted for 19.8% of the total number of students admitted to TSATU in 2024.

At both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels, the most popular specialities among women are those within the fields of Management and Administration, Service Sector, as well as Ecology and Geodesy and Land Management.

At the Bachelor’s level at TSATU, the 6 specialities are most popular (more than 50%) among women:

  • Public Management and Administration (68%);
  • Accounting and Taxation (63%);
  • Hotel and Restaurant Business (60%);
  • Finance, Banking, Insurance and Stock Market (57%);
  • Marketing (53%), Tourism and Recreation (53%).

At the Master’s level at TSATU, the share of women exceeds 50% in 7 specialities:

  • Tourism and Recreation (75%);
  • Marketing (74%);
  • Geodesy and Land Management (64%);
  • Public Management and Administration (60%);
  • Accounting and Taxation (58%);
  • Entrepreneurship and Trade (50%);
  • Ecology (50%).

The university uses a wide range of means to ensure women’s access to higher education. Admission to the university for higher education is carried out on the basis of gender-neutral admission processes that ensure equal treatment of all applicants, regardless of gender. In order to minimize gender bias and create equal opportunities for all applicants, competitive selection is carried out solely on the basis of the applicant’s achievements – the results of entrance exams and consideration of motivation letters. The university, both at the admission stage and throughout the period of study, adheres to a policy of avoiding the influence of gender stereotypes and ensures that decisions (for example, regarding enrollment or payment of academic scholarships to students) are made on the basis of their abilities and achievements. TSATU informs women about educational opportunities and access to education through active career guidance work, information about state support programmes, study grants and the possibility of receiving named scholarships. According to the Regulations on the Procedure for Assigning and Paying Scholarships to TSATU Students, which was revised and updated in 2024, all students, including women, have the right to receive academic scholarships based on the results of semester control and to personal academic scholarships for special academic achievements.

The university has adopted the practice of systematically measuring and tracking the accessibility of education for women based on a system of internal monitoring of the quality of educational activities, which includes an assessment of the results of the admission campaign and graduation success, which is the basis for analyzing gender balance. In 2024, a scheduled meeting-seminar “Features of monitoring and revising educational programmes” was held for educational programme guarantors, where internal assessment mechanisms necessary to track the success of students, including gender distribution, were discussed (page 2 of the report on the results of the work of the Department of Monitoring the Quality of Educational Activities of TSATU).

Women’s Support Policy

The University is guided by an internal policy that ensures equal opportunities for women to apply, accept and participate, which is confirmed by activities aimed at overcoming gender barriers. The policy is implemented through the TSATU Development Strategy for 2023-2030, the Code of Honour and the Code of Academic Integrity, which establish the principles of non-discrimination, are reviewed annually for the need to make changes for updating. The Equal Access Policy is part of the Regulations on the Internal System of Quality Assurance in Higher Education, an official document confirming the existence of an internal mechanism to ensure equal opportunities for women’s admission and participation.

In 2024, a specialized event aimed at strengthening policies that affect European integration and gender equality was held. In particular, the university staff and teachers participated in a workshop on Ethics and Gender Sensitivity of Research, which was implemented as a task of the UA Transformation Lab international project.

The university provides access and incentive schemes for women:

  1. System of direct financial support, scholarship awarding. TSATU students regularly become scholarship holders, which confirms financial support for women. In 2024, 13 female students became scholarship holders of named academic scholarships:
  1. The Leadership and Progress Award in 2024 was awarded to 4 students (women):
  1. Rewards and incentives in 2024. 15 female teachers (page 88 of the rector’s report for 2024):
  • for the significant contribution to the popularization of the artistic word, Ukrainian culture and history, high professional skills, the formation of patriotic values ​​​​of students, promoting the creative and intellectual development of the younger generation as a guarantee of the successful future of the Ukrainian nation A.V. Zemlianska was awarded the Diploma of the State Scientific Institution “Institute for the Modernization of the Content of Education”; O.H. Zinovieva was awarded the Gratitude of the State Scientific Institution “Institute for the Modernization of the Content of Education”;
  • based on the decision of the Department of Education and Science of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration for conscientious work, high professionalism, significant contribution to the upbringing of the younger generation and on the occasion of the birth anniversary, 18 university employees were awarded the Gratitude of the Department of Education and Science of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration, including 8 women: Ahieieva I.V.; Aleksieieva O.M., Viunyk O.V., Danchenko O.O., Dereza O.O., Kalchenko I.V., Kolisnychenko T.O., Nezhnova N.G.;
  • 2 university employees were awarded the Honorary Diploma of the Department of Education and Science of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration, including 2 women – Popova I.O., Trusova N.V.;
  • The Department of Education and Science of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration awarded 4 university employees, including 2 women – Diomina N.A., Diadenchuk A.F.;
  • By order of the Department of Youth, Physical Culture and Sports of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration, as a member of the competition commission of the regional competition for gifted youth in the field of science in 2024, the Department of Youth, Physical Culture and Sports of the Zaporizhia Regional State Administration announced the Gratitude of the Department of Youth, Physical Culture and Sports of the Zaporizhia Regional State Administration to 2 university employees, including one woman – Diadenchuk A.F.

The University encourages applications from women to study in subjects where they are underrepresented (technical sciences, engineering), through information and educational work and cooperation. Examples of such activities in 2024 were the participation of TSATU in the Plan Your Future Today. Educational Highway in Zaporizhzhia career guidance exhibition and holding events aimed at popularizing natural sciences and mathematics, which are traditionally underrepresented by women, in particular the Physics on Easy event for schoolchildren who are internally replaced people. The involvement of women in education is also carried out on the basis of cooperation with non-governmental organizations, in particular, the implementation of the DigiTech: Increasing the Accessibility of Engineering and Technical Education for Youth project (supported by USAID, IREX), which is aimed at attracting young people to engineering and technical specialties (STEM), provided for the popularization of the idea of ​​overcoming gender stereotypes in the engineering and technical field.

Promotion of women to managerial and senior scientific positions

The presence of women in managerial positions in 2024 demonstrates the balance of management. Among the four deans of the university, 50% are women:

  • Darya Legeza, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work and International Cooperation;
  • Iryna Kolokolchykova, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business;
  • Iryna Ivanova, Dean of the Faculty of Agrotechnology and Ecology;
  • Anastasiia Konovalenko, Director of the Institute of Professional Development.

Of the 19 departments at the university, 8 are headed by women, representing 42.1% of all department heads.:

  • Yulia Postol, Head of the Department of Electrical Power Engineering and Electrical Technologies;
  • Natalia Domina, Head of the Department of Higher Mathematics and Physics;
  • Larysa Boltianska, Head of the Department of Economics and Business;
  • Svitlana Plotnichenko, Head of the Department of Management and Public Administration;
  • Olena Yatsukh, Head of the Department of Finance, Accounting and Taxation;
  • Olesia Priss, Head of the Department of Food Technology and Hotel and Restaurant Business;
  • Head of the Department of Marketing;
  • Head of the Department of Foreign Languages.

Among the four heads of research institutes, 50% are women, in particular Olesia Priss heads the Research Institute of Agrotechnology and Ecology, Anastasiia Konovalenko heads the Research Institute of Socio-Economic Development of the Region.

It should be noted that women who play the role of language ombudsman at the TSATU are actively engaged in voluntary work: the language ombudsman of TSATU, Doctor of Philology, Professor Tetiana Sharova, and the student language ombudsman, a student of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Vlada Shmalii. The main task of these authorized persons is to protect the state language at the university.

The administration of TSATU consistently supports and promotes the academic development of women. In recognition of her significant scholarly achievements, Professor Iryna Kolokolchykova, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business, was awarded the title of Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Higher Education of Ukraine, which constitutes one of the highest distinctions in the academic community. In 2024, the academic titles of Professor and Associate Professor were conferred upon representatives of the Department of Economics and Business – Anastasiia Konovalenko and Valentyna Demko, respectively.

In 2024, 100% of defended theses at the university were completed by women scientists, providing direct evidence of the successful attainment of the highest level of academic qualification by female researchers. In particular, two theses were successfully defended for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Victoriia Lemeshchenko-Lagoda, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages, TSATU (defended on June 18, 2024), and Olha Sobolevska, postgraduate student (defended on December 5, 2024).

The university has the capacity to monitor changes in the number of female and male students enrolled in educational programmes and those who have completed their studies. This data is uploaded to the Unified State Electronic Database on Education. In 2024, the total number of graduates was 1,162, of which 344 were women, which is 29.6% of the total number of graduates.

Non-discrimination Policy for Transgender Persons

The policy of non-discrimination at TSATU complies with national legislation and is implemented in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Principles of Prevention and Counteraction of Discrimination” and the university’s Regulation on Academic Integrity. The policy ensures the protection of the rights of transgender persons and protection against inappropriate sexual behaviour. The policies implemented cover protection against all forms of inappropriate sexual behaviour (including harassment, obscene gestures, sexually explicit jokes). In recruitment processes, candidate selection is based on equal qualification requirements for all applicants, regardless of gender. Both men and women are guaranteed equal rights to access and enjoy economic, social, cultural, and other entitlements, as outlined in the University Collective Agreement, which is regularly reviewed and updated. The university strictly adheres to the principles set out in Article 24 of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law “On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men” and the Law of Ukraine “On Principles of Prevention and Counteraction of Discrimination” regarding ensuring equal participation of women and men in social, political, and cultural life; equal access to education, professional training, employment, and remuneration; special measures for labour protection and women’s health; the establishment of pension benefits; and the creation of conditions that enable women to combine professional responsibilities with motherhood, legal protection, material and moral support for motherhood and childhood, providing paid leave and other benefits for pregnant women and mothers.

The University upholds a comprehensive non-discrimination policy that encompasses all aspects of equality, including the prevention of exploitation and sexual abuse, as outlined in the approved Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Policy. The participation of TSATU’s leadership in the meeting with Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, affirms the public commitment to observe human rights and non-discrimination.

In event organisation, TSATU adheres to the principle of gender parity. For example, when organizing a regional event for school graduates “TSATU-ABITFEST”, participants had the opportunity to engage with speakers and receive answers to questions relevant to youth. Speaker selection was guided by gender balance, with equal representation of men and women (50/50 ratio). Four TSATU graduates presented their success stories, including two women: Iryna Vovk (majoring in Marketing), and Renata Hryshko (majoring in Finance) (page 73 of the Rector’s Report).

Maternity and Fatherhood Protection Policy

Maternity and fatherhood policies are implemented through the University Collective Agreement and internal social guarantee provisions, ensuring legally protected leave and working conditions, supporting women’s participation and ensuring shared parental involvement in childcare. The policy ensures the provision of flexible work and training schedules and social leave for both parents, promoting equal participation in the upbringing of children. This approach affirms that parenting policies support women’s inclusion through the active involvement of partners. In accordance with Article 18 of the Law of Ukraine “On Vacations”, individuals who adopt a child from among orphans or children deprived of parental care are entitled to a one-time paid leave of 56 calendar days. According to the TSATU Collective Agreement and Article 18 of the Law of Ukraine “On Vacations”, childcare leave is provided until the child reaches the age of three and may be used in full or in part by either parent, grandparents, other relatives who provide actual care, adoptive parents, or foster carers. According to the TSATU Collective Agreement and Article 77-3 of the Labour Code of Ukraine, one-time paid leave can be granted at the birth of a child, lasting up to 14 calendar days, to grandparents, other relatives who provide actual care. In accordance with the Collective Agreement of TSATU and the Law of Ukraine “On Vacations”, women are granted parental leave until the child reaches the age of 3 or 6 (if necessary), and a supplementary leave if they have two or more children under the age of 15, a child with a disability, or are single mothers. Women also retain the right to work part-time, ensuring continued professional engagement alongside caregiving responsibilities.

Mentoring Programmes for Women

Elements of mentoring are implemented through activities aimed at supporting women and promoting their personality development. In particular, the international programme Bavarian Horizons, in which Victoriia Lemeshchenko-Lagoda participated, contributes to the creation of cultural ties among women from different countries and expands opportunities for cross-cultural mentoring. The project Career Workshop: Forming Professional Leaders (supported by UNDP) provides students with access to professional training, career planning consultations, and internship opportunities. It serves as a platform for women’s mentoring in the field of career development (Rector’s Report, 2024). An example of female mentoring in science is the guidance of Doctor of Philology, Professor Tetiana Sharova, in stimulating student creativity. Under her supervision, TSATU student Vlada Shmalii prepared a winning entry for the All-Ukrainian essay competition for pupils and student youth My Shevchenko. Another student, Polina Chernyshova, also mentored by Professor Sharova, received a Third-Degree Diploma at the final stage of the International Language and Literature Competition named after T. Shevchenko.

The university operates a well-established Institute of Mentoring, implemented through the system of academic group curation. Curators fulfil mentoring functions with a particular focus on supporting female students in their academic and career development, personal growth, and self-realisation. Academic group curators provide targeted, comprehensive support to women students, assisting them in adapting to the educational environment, overcoming psychological barriers, and planning their professional trajectories.  In their work, curators draw upon the methodological guidelines on the education of gender culture of students in extracurricular activities of agricultural institutions of higher education, developed by TSATU scholars. The use of these recommendations enables:

  • Promoting female leadership and challenging gender stereotypes in traditionally male-dominated disciplines, particularly in STEM fields;
  • Providing individual career counselling for women, fostering their professional growth and self-confidence;
  • Ensuring psychological resilience and sustained motivation among female students to successfully complete their studies.

As a result of the full-scale invasion, many individuals lost their jobs, leading to widespread displacement and mobilisation. This has created a significant shortage of personnel, including highly qualified specialists across various sectors. The proportion of women among jobseekers has increased.  targeted advisory support for women, including guidance on admission procedures, mentoring, and information on educational opportunities in specialities aligned with current labour market demands. Each year, the Academic Council of TSATU has approved a career guidance plan that includes outreach to graduates of educational institutions, meetings with representatives of professional associations, HR departments of industrial enterprises and farms, and volunteer-led educational events for school and college graduates. To support professional orientation and help entrants assess their personal aptitude for specific professions, TSATU appoints career consultants for each speciality by the Rector’s order. These consultants conduct online surveys to identify women’s strengths, recommend suitable career paths, advise on educational programmes and study conditions, and facilitate online meetings with department heads and deans. Direct contact between the entrant and the consultant provides comprehensive support in the process of professional orientation and career counselling.

Protection of Persons Policy

TSATU provides protection for individuals who claim discrimination (including inappropriate sexual behaviour), ensuring favourable conditions for initiating and performing professional duties within the university community. The university acts in full compliance with current Ukrainian legislation and strictly adheres to a zero-tolerance approach toward all forms of discrimination, exploitation of adults, youth, or children, trafficking for sexual or labour purposes, forced labour, and any form of violence or threat, whether occurring inside or outside the university. Guidance on emergency response procedures is available in the footer of the university’s official website and detailed on page 6 of the Policy for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (PPSESA Policy). The PPSESA Policy outlines instructions on monitoring and evaluation, the protocol for conducting an investigation and the steps for responding to the occurrence of extraordinary or critical incidents.