Our commitment

LA ROCHELLE UNIVERSITE APPOINTED A VICE-PRESIDENT FOR EQUALITY

The University is committed to promoting and strengthening its policy of equality for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, culture or religion. The measures implemented concern the entire university community.

As part of this effort, the University appointed a vice-president for quality of life at work and equality in 2021 and, for the period 2021-2024, drew up a multi-year Action Plan for Workplace Gender Equality (PAEP), setting out the main points of the institution’s gender equality policy. The main objectives of this action plan are to:

• promote a culture of equality;
• improve training for staff and managers;
• work towards a more gender-balanced representation in the composition of juries and in recruitment processes;
• encourage gender diversity in training.

In 2024, the University reaffirms its commitment to workplace equality by drafting a second multi-annual gender equality action plan for the period 2024-2027. This document, which has been presented to the Social Administration Committee and approved by the Board of Directors, takes stock of the implementation of the previous PAEP and focuses on the consolidation and development of the equality policy for the coming years.

Read the 2024-2027 Workplace Equality Action Plan.

The University promotes a culture of equality

Promoting a culture of equality throughout the university population is at the heart of the institution’s egalitarian policy. Various initiatives are in place to that end:

• General use of gender-inclusive language in official texts and documents, job descriptions, etc.;
• Federative events to promote equality;
• Students tutored projects to raise awareness among both students and employees;
• Strengthening the network with local actors to carry-out cross-cutting and coherent actions. The first Egalité en territoire rochelais (EgaliTerR) co-development group was launched by the university and all its partners on 9 June 2022.

Among other things, these numerous partnerships reinforced the mechanisms for reporting sexual and gender-based violence or discrimination, in addition to the listening and support centre already in place at the university.

La Rochelle Université promotes mixed-gender training

To enable students to choose their field of study without regard to gender stereotypes, La Rochelle Université has made equality the central theme of its policy toward mixed-gender training. Les “Cordées de la Réussite”, long immersion programmes and the “Cordées de l’entrepreneuriat”, among others, are designed to introduce our future students to professions that are free from gender stereotypes.

La Rochelle Université raises awareness and trains its employees

Since 2022, the university has been committed to placing equality at the heart of the 2022-2025 staff training plan. A series of training courses is offered from October 2022 on a variety of themes:

• Listening to victims
• Raising awareness of sexual and gender-based violence and discrimination
• Combating gender bias in the recruitment of teaching and administrative staff
• Creating a listening centre dedicated to employees

La Rochelle Université is committed to the local community

Over the coming years, the university aims to extend its egalitarian policy to the wider area of La Rochelle. To this end, we intend to develop partnerships with actors in the educational and professional worlds, particularly in the fight against gender stereotypes, the promotion of mixed training and inclusion.

THE UNIVERSITY PROTECTS ITS STUDENT COMMUNITY

Listening and Support Centre

A listening and support centre for students experiencing harassment, discrimination or violence was set up in 2018. An email address enables students to be listened to, supported and protected. It also enables witnesses to report intolerable behaviour to the university, after having informed the person in difficulty. Professionals are ready to deal with complaints received.

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence – Guide for Trainees and Apprentices

As part of its egalitarian policy and, in particular, its fight against sexual and gender-based violence and harassment, La Rochelle Université is committed to protecting trainees and apprentices in the workplace and raising their awareness of the issues surrounding SGBV.

To help trainees and apprentices, as well as the teachers who supervise them, the University Health Service drafted this simplified but comprehensive guide to give students and teachers a number of tips.

The guide includes:

• simple definitions (SGBV, harassment, etc.);
• legal and regulatory framework;
• internal (University) and external (partners, associations) resources and contacts, to whom trainees and apprentices can turn to in complete confidence and confidentiality.

Read the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence – Guide for Trainees and Apprentices.