Equality Programme
Reykjavik University 2025 – 2027
Introduction
Reykjavík University (RU) is an open and broad‑minded community that welcomes diversity. At RU there shall be equality and mutual respect among staff and students, and everyone shall enjoy fairness and equal opportunities. People of all genders shall have equal access to education, promotion, research and funding. RU emphasizes a work environment in which communication and working practices are characterized by respect, integrity, fairness and equality.
In accordance with the Icelandic Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights irrespective of Gender No. 150/2020, RU shall adopt an Equality Plan setting out how the objectives of the Act will be achieved in order to secure the rights of staff as provided for in law. This Equality Plan is based on that Act.
The University’s Human Resources (HR) policy states:
RU’s success is first and foremost built on talented staff who reflect diverse perspectives. RU offers an encouraging work environment, professional feedback and opportunities to grow, develop and make an impact. RU offers fair and competitive terms of employment, flexibility and the ability to balance family life, private life and a healthy lifestyle. RU emphasizes equal opportunities. RU staff show professionalism and responsibility in their work and approach it with positivity and commitment.
The HR policy further emphasizes: (i) creating an international workplace that celebrates diversity and is characterized by respect for individuals and their work; (ii) equal opportunities regarding appointments and pay and a prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, religion, nationality, race, disability, sexual orientation, political views or other irrelevant factors; and (iii) that bullying and sexual harassment will not be tolerated.
Objectives
The objective of this Equality Plan is to ensure equal status and equal opportunities for RU staff and students regardless of gender, age, religion, nationality, race, disability, sexual orientation and political views, and to prevent discrimination or harassment on the basis of these or other irrelevant factors. The Equality Plan aims to ensure that all staff and students are respected and assessed on their own merits and that talents and human resources are used as effectively as possible. Furthermore, it aims to counter all gender‑stereotypical ideas and also aims to promote the most balanced possible gender composition in comparable positions, committees and councils, and to support as even a gender distribution as possible among students on individual study programs.
The aim is to ensure attitudes within RU that are free of prejudice and discrimination toward staff and students, whether conscious or unconscious, and to ensure that bullying, violence, gender‑based harassment and sexual harassment will not be tolerated at RU.
Responsibility
Ultimate responsibility for equality work at RU lies with the President of RU. All managers and heads within departments are responsible for the progress of equality matters and for the implementation and follow‑up of this Equality Plan.
The Equality Committee prepares and proposes RU’s Equality Plan, monitors its progress in cooperation with other responsible parties, and reviews it regularly. Based on the Plan, the Committee may prepare action plans for specific areas in collaboration with responsible parties and recommend procedures for specific issues as appropriate.
The HR Director is responsible for coordinating and integrating the Plan and for publishing regular status and progress reports.
Equality Committee
The Committee has 7–10 members: two from the University’s support divisions, at least two academic staff representatives from each faculty, and one student representative appointed by the RU Student Union. The Committee is appointed by the President for two‑year terms; terms may be extended in two‑year increments, but no person may serve for more than six consecutive years. To maintain institutional memory, at least half of the Committee should remain in place at the end of each term.
The Committee’s role includes: (i) following up on the Equality Plan in cooperation with the HR Director; (ii) overseeing the Plan’s review; (iii) advising senior management and the President on equality matters and initiating discussion of important equality topics. The Committee does not handle individual staff cases, but staff and units may seek advice from the Committee, which will then direct inquiries to the appropriate channel. The Committee meets once per month.
Review
The Equality Plan is prepared for a three‑year period. One year before it expires, the review shall begin with the aim that a new Plan is ready when the current one ends. The next review should therefore begin in 2027.
Pay and Terms
When determining pay, there shall be no discrimination between genders, and salaries shall be set in the same way for all staff irrespective of gender. All staff shall enjoy equal terms for work of equal value and comparable work. Terms include salary as well as pension, holiday and sick‑leave rights and any other employment terms or rights that have monetary value.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| Staff of all genders receive the same terms for comparable and equally valued work. | Executive Director, School Dean or Department Head, as applicable. HR Director. | Independent audit of pay and terms for staff. | At least every three years; next review on March payroll 2028. | If differences are found, pay shall be corrected as appropriate. |
| Maintain Equal Pay Certification (Jafnlaunavottun). | President. | Certification and external audit. | Completed annually in March. | Certification is maintained in accordance with legal requirements. |
Staff and Recruitment
RU handles all job applications on professional grounds regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, skin color, age, parental status, nationality, social origin, disability, language, religion, political or other beliefs, assets, origin, finances, family circumstances or reduced work capacity.
RU emphasizes recruiting staff with outstanding competence, education, experience and ambition on behalf of RU, and aims for diversity in the staff body.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| A diverse staff composition with respect to gender, nationality, age, etc. | RU managers, HR Director. | Publish an annual statistical report on staff composition (gender, nationality, age) by unit, academic positions, management, committees and councils. | Assessed continuously during recruitment; report published annually. | If one group is significantly under‑represented, take this into account in recruitment and appointments. |
Advancement and Promotions
Opportunities for advancement and promotion shall be open to staff of all genders, and staff shall stand on equal footing regardless of nationality, age, etc. Performance and competence shall guide promotions and other career development. Advancement to academic ranks shall be granted based on professional assessment. Appointment committees shall include members of at least two genders.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| All appointment committees are gender‑balanced (no more than 67% of members from the same gender). | School Deans and Department Heads. | Assess committee composition at each appointment. | Annually. | HR Director seeks explanations where committees are single‑gender dominant. |
| Ensure equal footing for applicants of all genders in recruitment to management positions. | President, Executive Director, School Dean or Department Head, as applicable. HR Director. | Publish an annual summary of recruitment to management positions in the Equality Report. | Annually each March. | HR Director may request justification if only one gender was considered. |
Committees, Councils and Boards
Special attention shall be paid to gender ratios when appointing RU committees, councils and boards. When nominating for committees, nominations of members of two genders shall be requested where possible.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| All cross‑faculty committees, councils and boards are gender‑balanced (no more than 67% of members from the same gender). | Department Heads, Executive Directors, School Deans, Rector and others responsible for appointments. | Assess balance at each appointment. | Annually. | HR Director seeks explanations where bodies are single‑gender dominant. |
| Seek similar gender ratios in committees and councils within faculties. | Department Heads and other responsible parties. | Annual summary of appointments in the Equality Report. | Annually. | HR Director seeks explanations where bodies are single‑gender dominant. |
| Gender ratios on the University Council and the RU Board do not exceed 60% of the same gender. | University backers/appointing authorities. | Publish Council and Board composition on RU’s website and issue a news release when changes occur. | Upon biannual Council appointments. | The Equality Committee formally seeks explanations if gender ratios are uneven. |
Appointments to committees and working groups shall take account of staff expertise and interests, and staff shall be enabled, in a structured manner, to express interest in membership of particular committees.
Staff Training, Continuing and Lifelong Learning
All RU staff shall enjoy equal opportunities for access to training, continuing education and lifelong learning. RU emphasizes good access to training, supervision and courses that increase competence and performance at work.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| Ensure that all staff, regardless of gender, nationality, age and duties, have equal opportunities for training and continuing education. | Immediate supervisor. | Managers encourage all staff to seek appropriate training. Annual performance and development interviews include discussion of past and planned training. | Annually in spring interviews. | HR Director ensures interviews take place and that training is discussed. Workplace analysis monitors progress. |
Work–Family Life Balance
RU emphasizes that staff experience balance and can reconcile work duties and family responsibilities, including opportunities for flexible working hours. Staff shall be supported in returning to work after parental leave or urgent family circumstances. RU also seeks to promote equal opportunities for students to pursue their studies regardless of family situation.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| All staff can reconcile work duties and family responsibilities where possible. | President, HR Director, School Deans, Executive Director and managers. | Academic calendar and workload planning take account of the needs of families. Regular employee attitude surveys. | Workplace analysis every two years (next 2027); 1–2 Gallup access surveys per year. | Survey results presented at least annually. |
| Facilitate return to work after parental leave or urgent family circumstances. | President, HR Director, School Deans, immediate supervisor. | Consultation with staff on the arrangement of leave and return to work; efforts made to meet staff needs as circumstances allow. | Case‑by‑case. | Manager–staff follow‑up conversations. |
| All students can reconcile study duties and family responsibilities. | Department Heads, program directors and teachers. | Academic calendar and workload planning take account of the needs of families; students’ rights are clear in school rules and handbooks. | When preparing the academic calendar each spring. | Rights are stated in rules/handbooks and communicated. |
Gender‑Based Violence, Gender‑Based Harassment and Sexual Harassment
Preventing bullying, gender‑based and sexual harassment and violence is key to a good workplace. Staff and students must be educated about what constitutes bullying, gender‑based and sexual harassment and violence.
RU’s Code of Ethics states that RU prevents any kind of injustice such as bullying, sexual harassment or discrimination based on irrelevant factors such as gender, age, religion, nationality, race, disability or sexual orientation. RU has adopted a response plan for bullying, harassment and violence in the workplace.
Definitions:
- Gender‑based harassment: Conduct related to the gender of the person that has the purpose or effect of offending the person’s dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
- Sexual harassment: Any sexual conduct that has the purpose or effect of offending the person’s dignity, particularly where it results in an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment; the conduct may be verbal, symbolic and/or physical.
- Violence: Any behavior that leads to, or could lead to, physical or psychological harm or suffering of the person, including threats of such, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
- Bullying: Repeated behavior generally likely to cause distress to the person, such as belittling, insulting, hurting or threatening them or causing fear. Disagreement of opinion or conflicts of interest are not included.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| Clear procedures exist for the above issues and are published on RU’s website (internal for staff and students; external as applicable). | HR Director. | Procedures for staff and students reviewed regularly. | Every two years, next spring 2027. | HR Director monitors number of reported cases among staff; workplace analysis tracks trends. |
| Prevent gender‑based violence, gender‑based harassment and sexual harassment. | President, HR Director, School Deans, Executive Director, Department Heads and managers bear primary responsibility; all staff and students share responsibility. | Targeted education for staff and students; training for managers and staff; response plan available on the intranet and presented at staff meetings when updated; response plan accessible on RU’s external site, introduced at orientation days and other training held regularly. | Updated response plans presented every two years; at start of autumn term; and at the start of spring term as applicable. | Performance interviews ask whether staff have participated in training; workplace analysis monitors participation. |
| Training on gender‑based violence, gender‑based harassment and sexual harassment is easily accessible to staff and students. | HR Director; Head of Communications; Head of Student Counselling; Equality Committee. | Offer training/education to all staff and students each academic year (e.g., at onboarding and orientation days). | Annually and as needed. | Equality dashboard records which training was offered and attendance. |
| Support for staff who are survivors. | Line managers; HR Director. | Offer appropriate third‑party assistance, e.g., psychological support. | As needed. | Follow‑up with the survivor after case closure. |
| Support for student survivors. | RU Student Counsellor or Psychologist. | Inform survivors of available support. | As needed. | Follow‑up with the survivor after case closure. |
| Appropriate responses in cases involving staff perpetrators. | President; line managers; HR Director. | Establish procedures proportionate to the severity and frequency of the offence. | As needed. | Take appropriate measures in line with procedures. |
| Appropriate responses in cases involving student perpetrators. | Department Head; Advisory Council; Head of Student Counselling. | Act in accordance with the response plan for bullying, gender‑/sexual harassment and violence concerning students. | As needed. | Take appropriate measures in line with procedures. |
Equality in RU’s Internal Work
Teaching materials shall be suitable for everyone regardless of gender and shall not discriminate against students or staff. The gender of teachers who teach core/compulsory courses shall, as far as possible, be represented in equal proportions. Students are offered equality and gender‑studies education, including teaching on gender stereotypes, gendered educational and career choices, disability issues and LGBTQ+ issues.
Objective and Measures
| Objective | Responsibility | Action | Timeline | Follow‑up |
| Balance the gender ratio of teachers in compulsory courses. | Program directors and Department Heads. | Ensure that no single gender has an abnormally high proportion among teachers in compulsory courses within each program; consider gender balance in recruitment. | Each semester. | Overview of teacher gender in compulsory courses is published in the equality dashboard. |
| Gender‑neutral course titles and descriptions. | Academic Affairs Office and faculties. | Ensure that the names of courses and the wording of course descriptions appeal to all genders. | Every third year, next in 2027. | Faculties report to Academic Affairs which courses were revised. |
| Balanced gender ratios among teaching assistants and student research assistants. | Department Heads, program directors and academic staff. | When recruiting, encourage students of all genders to apply. | Annually. | Overview recorded in the equality dashboard. |
| Ensure gender neutrality in all policy‑making within RU. | President, School Deans, Department Heads, as applicable. | Explicitly consider gender neutrality in all policy‑making; Equality Committee reviews drafts and provides comments. | As applicable. | Equality Committee receives policies for review and provides feedback. |
| Equality education. | HR Director; Head of Communications; Head of Academic Affairs; national university cooperation fora; Events Manager. | For staff: include in onboarding and training. For students: dedicate time at orientation days; hold Equality Days annually. | Each autumn; at the start of spring term; and as needed. | Student and staff surveys include questions on attitudes to equality; results guide further training. |
Appendix: Contents of the Equality Dashboard
An annual statistical overview shall be compiled and published, including gender composition, nationality and age distribution of staff. Results shall be published for RU as a whole, for each unit, for academic positions, for management positions and for the main committees and councils.
The annual Equality Report shall include baseline tables reflecting the priorities of this dashboard, including at least the following:
I. Staff
- Staff by gender — by units; by management positions; by academic positions (incl. adjuncts/part‑time teachers).
- Staff by nationality — by units; by management positions; by academic positions (incl. adjuncts/part‑time teachers).
- Staff age distribution — by units; by management positions; by academic positions (incl. adjuncts/part‑time teachers).
- Gender of teachers in compulsory courses — by faculties; by programmes.
- Recruitment and exits by gender and faculty, incl. number of positions advertised.
II. Students
- Students by gender — by faculties; by programmes.
- Applicants and admitted students by gender — by faculties; by programmes.
- Students by nationality — by faculties; by programmes (as applicable).
- Students by age — by faculties; by programmes.
- Graduates overview — by faculties; by gender; by nationality.
- Teaching assistants and student research assistants by gender — by faculties; by programmes (as applicable).
III. Other
- Composition of committees, councils and boards by gender, including appointment committees.
- Current Equality Committee.
Equality Plan previously approved by the Equality Committee on 26 September 2018 and by the RU Executive Board on 28 September 2018.
Updated Equality Plan approved by the Equality Committee on 23 June 2021 and by the Executive Board on 19 October 2021.
Updated interim Equality Plan approved by the HR Department and the Executive Board, reviewed by a representative of the Equality Committee, 30 September 2025.