The University of Luxembourg introduced a measure as part of their Gender Equality Plan: reimbursement of childcare costs, to encourage recent parents’ attendance to international conferences.

This practice aims to empower the professional growth of our academic staff, addressing the unique challenges faced by parents in academia, specifically regarding their care-giving responsibilities.

This initiative aligns with our commitment to gender equity, and the pursuit of academic excellence.

The burden of childcare disproportionately falls on women, impacting their ability to fully engage in important academic events, namely attend international conferences.

Conferences serve as invaluable platforms for researchers to present research findings, engage in scholarly discussions, and establish meaningful connections within their fields. For researchers, these events play a pivotal role in shaping their professional trajectories. Unfortunately, the constraints of care-giving responsibilities can limit their ability to participate, creating an unintended gender gap.

Support mothers and recent parents in science and foster an inclusive culture that empowers all members of our academic community to reach their full potential.

To address this gap and foster an inclusive academic environment, the University of Luxembourg offers childcare support for researchers attending international conferences. This initiative is designed to alleviate the burden on parents, enabling them to fully participate in these critical professional development opportunities.

Researchers who present their research project during international conference can ask for the reimbursement of the childcare service. The procedure is simple, a request by email needs to be sent to the Gender Equality office, proving evidence that the applicant will present their work (attendance only is not sufficient) and a cost estimate.

This measure allows researchers to fully participate in conferences and advance professionally without compromising their care-giving responsibilities.

This measure was introduced in May 2022 and has been used twice, allowing young mothers to attend conferences in Canada and in India.

https://www.uni.lu/en/about/gender-equality/
https://www.nber.org/papers/w30323