Individual contribution 

Pr. Ouanada Halima - Université Tunis el Manar, Tunis (Tunisia)

Awareness and Prevention of Gender-Based Harassment in the University

Gender-based harassment is a major issue in universities, particularly affecting women and gender minorities. These harmful behaviours—verbal, physical, psychological, or digital—create a hostile environment that negatively impacts victims' mental health and academic success. Despite initiatives, harassment often goes unreported due to fear and lack of trust in support mechanisms. Universities play a crucial role in preventing, identifying, and addressing these situations by implementing clear policies, providing awareness training, and offering appropriate support services. Preventing harassment on campus also involves promoting respect, equality, and inclusive leadership. Collective action, staff training, and transparent communication contribute to creating a safe and respectful learning environment. Overall, combating harassment in higher education is essential to ensure a healthy academic setting conducive to the well-being and development of all members of the university community.

Collective Contribution

Dr. Fernández-Montraveta Carmen - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid (Spain)

Dr. Rossi-Arnaud Cleli - Sapienza University of Rome, Rome (Italy)

Dr. Abou Mrad Hughette - Antonine University,  Baabda (Lebanon)

Dr. Camille de Garidel-Thoron - Président of Thetys, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille (France)

Pr. Olfa Bouallègue, Président of RESUFF and Vice president of Sousse University (Tunisia)

 
Persistent issues such as value-driven education and social inequality require responses entrenched in cross-continental collaboration. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Europe and Africa must step up to build partnerships that bridge any existent divides. The WE4LEAD project (March 2023-April 2026), rooted on the Téthys network, brings together nine universities from Europe (Aix-Marseille Université, amU, FR; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, UAM, ES; Sapienza Università di Roma, SUR, IT), Africa (Université Frères Mentouri Constantine 1, UC1, DZ; Université Constantine 3 Salah Boubdiner, UC3, DZ; Université Tunis el Manar, UTM, TN; Université de Sousse, US, TN), and West Asia (Université Libanaise, UL, LB; Antonine University, UA, LB) 

In partnership with the Réseau Francophone des Femmes Responsables dans l’Enseignement Supérieur et la Recherche (RESUFF). Its goal is to transform the governance of Mediterranean HEIs by promoting a culture of gender equality. 
Over the past three years, the consortium has collectively advanced by taking a firm political stance and institutionalizing gender equality policies in their universities, through concrete actions such as: collecting gendered data; increasing decision-makers’ awareness of the existence and causes of gender inequality; creating a political framework to support gender equality; instituting training widely shown to reduce gender bias in recruitment decisions; and improving awareness of gender-based harassment and how to address it. 
Through sustained collaboration and mutual learning, the project has succeeded in implementing policies that promote the full participation of women in university governance. 
This Panel will present these advances together with the tools and methodologies developed, while opening a space for dialogue on lessons learned and strategies transferable to other HEIs. 
The discussion will focus on how to sustain political commitment, engage decision-makers more effectively, and foster inclusive governance across the Mediterranean region.