Governing Council approved the Universitat de València’s 4^th Equality Plan containing 90 actions set for a 4 year period to be applied (2024-2028). Its goal is shared with the previous Plans, that is to guarantee an actual and efficient equality for women and men. This document is aligned with the University’s strategy and the fulfilment of the sustainable development goals (SDG). Therefore equality becomes a specific goal and bridging axis of the university’s policy.

On May 2024, Governing Council accepted the 1^st Institution Diversity Plan as well. It contained 43 actions to be performed in a 4 year period (2024-2027) in 5 different lines of work. This Plan aims to grant equal treatment and opportunities among the university community regardless of the individual’s race, ethnicity, family model, gender identity and expression and sex orientation.

Universitat de València wants to provide equality between women and men while supporting conciliation and co-responsibility as well as making sure there are equal opportunities and treatment for work conditions. Therefore, the Equality Plan starts with the personnel branch with a document from the negotiation between the institutional and trade union representatives to adapt the current legal frame.

This branch is dedicated to concilitation, education, accessibility, professional career, health and assault and abuse prevention -its reference being the current regulation. It plans to make use of the university’s vast experience in its design, implementing three equality plans and the knowledge gained from the last years in this area.

This branch is surrounded by other four branches in a much more general document addressing education, investigation, governance, monitoring centre, equality culture and the students.

The 4^th Equality Plan’s design and negotiation has been running a parallel process. On one hand, the negotiation of the plan of equality of personnel in the negotiation committee with institutional and trade union representation. On the other hand, the participation of work groups of experts from the university community.

The incorporation of the fifth branch of equality and student participation is the most remarkable addition. Previous plans provided specific actions with the larger collective, for instance the student force, but this plan tries to bring visibility and relevance to all equality policies regarding the students.

It is a rather ambitious project, yet its planning is realistic and achievable. A cross-sectional document has been accepted with the intervention of many Vice-Principal Offices, centres, services and units, as it happened with the 3^rd Equality Plan. It gives goals and courses of action with a structure-rather-than-coyunture view, preferring permanent results rather than punctual ones.

The Equality Plan’s main challenges are:

a. the equality culture regarding the personnel;

Following the steps of the last plan, the main goal remains the conciliation and co-responsibility. Creating new welcoming stances in classroom buildings, centres and other building as well as moving forward the approval of a change in the regulations to add conciliation criteria in teaching appointments being its main focus.

b. preventing and taking action against sexist violence;

One big concern is for the university community to be violence-free and supportive of those who have come to suffer sexist violence and discrimination while encouraging healthier and more equal masculinities. In order to detect, raise awareness and prevent gender-based violence, the Espai Violeta should be enforced with new horizontal supports.

c. adding gender perspective in teaching and investigation;

Bridging gender perspective in higher studies by proving a gender equality specialized pathway for the undergraduate students to round up their studies is also one of its goals.

d. the commitment and participation of the students.

The University must guarantee that no gender-based discrimination will occur during the compliance of their duties and rights. Any issues with family responsibility of victims of gender-based violence will be taken care of as well. If the University must provide quality and unbiased education, it must then offer gender equality specific subjects to add these contents.