The Inclusion of Gender Diversity in Italian Universities: Main Priorities and Critical Issues

The policies for gender integration represent one of the most important on the European social agenda in the awareness that the promotion of equal opportunities is a necessary and priority condition for the achievement of the objectives of the European Union in terms of growth, employment, and social cohesion. Gender permeates all aspects of our individual and collective, private and public life, defines opportunities, and shapes identities. In Italy, gender inequalities, exacerbated by the COVID-19 emergency, can be multiple ambitious processes, such as the labor market, women’s participation in decision-making, education, and access to health. The same National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) has identified measures that can act directly or directly to the elimination of gender inequalities. The purpose of the work is to analyze the issue of gender equality in Italian universities in light of the initiatives undertaken in recent decades and of the changes that have also occurred following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the management of daily lifetimes regarding family commitments and all professional responsibilities. In particular, the innovative tools at the University of Salerno see wellness devices as a fundamental element for the affirmation of a model of human resources, culture, and business processes, with a view to equal opportunities. The University of Salerno has recently adopted a plan for gender equality, which outlines a series of concrete actions aimed at ensuring the full participation of men and women in scientific research and the organizational life of the university. An initiative that ensures equal opportunities improves people’s well-being and, finally, yet importantly, makes the University of Salerno a model of “best practices” on a national and European level.