Policy Title: Gender Equity and Inclusion Policy
Policy Area: University-Wide
Owner: President Office
Approved by: UM6P President
Effective Date: October 21, 2024

RELATED DOCUMENTS
UM6P Social Equity Policy; UM6P Student Code of Conduct; Non-Retaliation Policy;
Safeguarding Policy; Safeguarding Procedures, Sustainable Development Institutional Policy.
CONTEXT
Since its inception, the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic has sought to create a fair and
equal environment for all its community including faculty, students and staff regardless of their
social, ethnic or national origin, civil status, pregnancy, social condition, gender, disability,
language, age (except as provided by law), religious affiliation, political or philosophical
convictions or any other characteristic. Gender equity and inclusion are seen as key challenges
facing society. This manifests in terms of equal pay, employment opportunities, and access to
education.
McKinsey research has shown that companies in the top 25% for gender diversity were 25%
more likely to have superior financial returns. And a study by the World Economic Forum
shows that companies with better than average diversity scores drive 45% average revenue
from innovation, while companies with below-average diversity scores drive only 26%. A
growing body of research shows that diversity in leadership tends to dictate diversity and a
sense of inclusion throughout all seniority levels of an organization. Research also shows that
more diverse entities are more resilient and more innovative – which ultimately makes them
more economically successful.

SECTION 1 POLICY STATEMENT
1.1. The University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) is committed to fostering an environment where gender equity and inclusion are integral to our values and operations.
UM6P recognizes the importance of diversity in all its forms, including gender diversity, in driving innovation, creativity, and excellence in technological research and education.
1.2. UM6P is committed to advancing diversity, gender equity and inclusion through concrete
actions, ongoing dialogue, and continuous self-reflection. UM6P strives to recruit, retain, and support a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.
1.3. UM6P promotes curricula and pedagogies that embrace diverse perspectives,
background, and cultures. UM6P invests in programs and initiatives that address systemic inequities and foster a more inclusive campus climate.
1.4. UM6P is engaged with local and global communities to promote social justice and address pressing societal challenges.

1.5. UM6P aims, by embracing gender equity and inclusion, to create an environment that fosters excellence, fuels innovation, and prepares its community to be responsible global citizens.
SECTION 2 SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY
2.1. This policy document applies to all members of the UM6P community, including faculty, staff, students, researchers.
2.2 This policy document applies to all academic programs across all campuses of UM6P.

SECTION 3 PURPOSE
3.1. The purpose of this policy is to clearly articulate UM6P’s commitment to promoting gender equity and inclusion across research, entrepreneurial, and educational environments, and to outline the required programs and processes for ensuring gender equity and inclusion.
3.2. This policy aims to set principles that embrace a culture within UM6P which: a) Values diversity, inclusion and equity, b) Encourages mutual respect, collaboration and recognition of everyone’s contribution whatever their role in the organization, c) Ensures that social equity values are integrated into its policies, practices, projects, and daily interactions, and d) Enables accountability and monitoring mechanisms to regularly assess progress made in terms of social equity.

SECTION 4 DEFINITIONS
4.1. Gender: refers to male and female, especially when considered with reference to biological, social and cultural differences in accordance with the local context and the Moroccan legal framework.
4.2. Inclusion: Ensuring fair representation of students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds in higher education, covering a spectrum of social, economic, ethnic, gender, physical and mental characteristics.
4.3. Inclusive Leadership and Management: A leadership and management style that actively embraces diversity, encourages participation from all individuals, and fosters a sense of belonging within an organization or group. Inclusive leaders and managers prioritize creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.
4.4. Inclusive Teaching: Equitable and inclusive teaching involves cultivating awareness of the dynamics that shape classroom experiences and impact learning. It also involves being responsive to these dynamics and intentional about using strategies, or inclusive moves, that foster a productive learning environment.
4.5. Discrimination: The unfair or prejudicial treatment of people and groups based on characteristics such as ethnic or national origin, civil status, pregnancy, social condition, gender, disability, language, age (except as provided by law), religious affiliation, political or philosophical convictions or any other relevant characteristic.

SECTION 5 PROVISIONS AND GUIDELINES
GENERAL PROVISIONS
5.1. The University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) ensures that every individual has the same opportunities for employment, education, development and advancement within the organization without facing unfair differentiation or discrimination.
5.2. UM6P is fully committed to the concept and practice of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination and remains steadfast in the belief that all members of our community — all who live, work and study at the university — should be valued, respected and provided with equal opportunities to thrive.
5.3. UM6P subscribes to a broad range of academic values and proven best practices among leading research universities around the world, among them:
5.3.1. Openness to diversity in all its forms; a commitment to nondiscrimination on account of ethic or national origin, civil status, pregnancy, social condition, gender, disability, language, age, religious affiliation, political or philosophical convictions or any other relevant characteristics.
5.3.2. Expansion of access to the benefits of higher education for all people; and
5.3.3. Integrity, openness, fairness and respect for all members of the university
community.

5.4. UM6P seeks to continuously improve the campus climate by positively impacting the campus community through the facilitation of a shared learning experience that engages our campus in dialogue, challenges barriers, builds collaborative relationships, and provides educational opportunities for all.
5.5. UM6P actively promotes gender equity across its academic programs, research initiatives, curriculum development, hiring practices and leadership. This includes integrating perspectives on gender and diversity into teaching and research and supporting projects and initiatives that advance knowledge on gender, diversity and technology.

ADMISSIONS
5.6. UM6P is committed to achieving a diverse student population, believing that diversity inspires new angles of inquiry, new modes of analysis, new discoveries and new solutions.
5.7. UM6P shall work diligently to recruit excellent applicants who would bring diversity to the student population, through broad encouragement and financial support of applications from a wide variety of populations and promotion of unbiased review.
5.8. UM6P shall encourage applications by women and men in subjects where they are underrepresented through outreach programs and/or through collaboration with other universities and/or community groups and/or government and/or NGOs in national,regional, and continental campaigns.

FACULTY ROLES
5.9. UM6P faculty are expected to create inclusive and supportive learning environments that respect and value the diversity of students. They should consider diverse perspectives, integrate inclusive teaching practices, and be mindful of creating an inclusive classroom culture where all students feel welcome and can thrive.
5.10. University faculty and academic staff members are expected to adhere to high standards of ethical behavior. This includes, but is not limited to, being respectful of the rights of others and forthright, honest, and professional in all dealings with members of the university community as well as third parties:
5.10.1. Faculty members should promote fairness and equity in their interactions with
students, colleagues, and staff;
5.10.2. Faculty should ensure equal opportunities for all students, irrespective of their background, gender, religion, or any other protected characteristic;
5.10.3. Faculty should address biases, discrimination, and prejudices in their teaching, research, and service activities;
5.10.4. Faculty members should provide quality instruction, fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment.
5.11. UM6P shall establish and implement a plan to support the university’s efforts in recruiting, retaining and helping qualified members of underrepresented groups to advance their career. UM6P ensures that selection is based on merit, qualifications, and the specific needs of the position.

INCLUSION AND EQUITY IN RESEARCH
5.12. UM6P requires the inclusion of minorities and women in study populations whenever
possible so that all persons share the benefits and burdens of research.
5.13. UM6P encourages research initiatives that contribute to knowledge about gender and
technology, supports gender-diverse research teams, and prioritizes inclusive
methodologies.
5.14. UM6P shall not engage in research agreements that permit discrimination on the basis
of any characteristic protected by law, including gender.
5.15. UM6P does not limit participation in research activities on the basis of citizenship. This commitment to an open research environment supports the principle of freedom of access by all interested persons to the underlying data, to the processes, and to the results of research and preserves the ability of UM6P faculty and principal investigators to select the best qualified individuals to participate in research.

INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
5.16. UM6P aims to promote gender equity in the recruitment, hiring, promotion, and leadership development processes to ensure balanced representation of all genders at every level of the organization.

5.17. All recruitment and hiring processes will be free from discrimination based on gender. The organization shall ensure that all individuals are treated fairly and with respect, and that selection is based on merit, qualifications, and the specific needs of the position.
5.18. Job descriptions and advertisements must be reviewed to avoid gendered language and implicit biases. Positions will be described in neutral terms that encourage applicants of all genders to apply.
5.19. Hiring managers and recruitment teams shall take proactive steps to ensure gender diversity in candidate pools, aiming to have balanced representation of genders at all stages of the hiring process. The use of targeted outreach and networking strategies to attract underrepresented gender groups is encouraged.
5.20. The organization will regularly assess pay equity across all genders and take corrective actions if disparities are identified. Starting salaries, raises, and bonuses will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and performance, with no regard to gender.
5.21. Inclusive Leadership Development – All genders will have equal access to leadership development opportunities, including mentoring, coaching, and professional training programs. Efforts will be made to identify and eliminate barriers that disproportionately affect individuals of underrepresented genders from advancing to leadership roles.
5.22. UM6P will work toward achieving gender parity in leadership positions by setting measurable goals and conducting regular reviews of gender diversity within senior management and executive teams.

SUPPORT STRUCTURES
5.23. UM6P routinely raises awareness about critical issues of gender equity and inclusion, seeksto foster a community of allies, and aimsto empower its community to take action on the gender issues that matter to them, guided by a social justice framework.
5.24. UM6P shall maintain and implement a framework for training and awareness-raising for faculty, students and researchers on issues of gender equity and inclusion.
5.25. UM6P shall develop and implement access schemes for underrepresented genders such as mentoring, scholarships, and targeted support.
5.26. UM6P shall establish and enforce maternity and paternity policies that support participation, including the extension of the tenure clock for faculty members who become a new parent by birth or adoption during their tenure probationary period.
5.27. UM6P shall provide accessible childcare and breastfeeding facilities for students that enable recent mothers to attend university courses.
5.28. UM6P shall provide childcare and breastfeeding facilities for staff and faculty.
5.29. UM6P shall establish programs to address any gaps between genders in terms of the
likelihood to graduate.

ACCOUNTABILITY AND MONITORING

5.30. UM6P holds itself accountable for the implementation of this policy through regular review, assessment of progress, and transparent reporting on its efforts to promote gender equity and inclusion.
5.31. UM6P assesses progress made towards clearly articulated gender equity and inclusion goals and objectives. Specifically, it will track and report on the following Gender
Equality Metrics annually:
5.31.1. Female and Male Students
5.31.1.1. Number of Students -This is the FTE (Full Time Equivalent) number of students in all years and all programs that lead to a degree, certificate, institutional credit or other qualification. Total headcount
may also be used.
5.31.1.2. Number of Students starting a first degree – This is the FTE number of students starting a first degree at UM6P. This will include bachelor’s and other equivalent degrees, equivalent to Unesco ISCED-2011 Level 6. Total headcount may also be used.
5.31.1.3. Number of First-Generation Students starting a first degree – This is the FTE number of students starting a first degree at the university who are first generation students. A first-generation student is one who reports they are the first person in their immediate family to attend university. This should be a subset of the total number of students starting a first degree. This will include bachelor’s and other equivalent degrees, equivalent to Unesco ISCED-2011 Level 6.
5.31.1.4. Number of Women/Men Starting a First Degree – This is the FTE number of students starting a first degree who are female/male. Total headcount may also be used.
5.31.1.5. Number of first-generation women/men starting a first degree – This is the FTE number of first-generation students starting a first degree who are female/male. Total headcount may also be used.
5.31.1.6. Measurement/tracking of women’s graduation rates compared to men’s.
5.31.2. Women in Academic Positions
5.31.2.1. UM6P shall track the total number of staff employed in an academic post (e.g., lecturer, professors who teach, research or do both). This is also known as the faculty in US model universities. UM6P shall report annually on the numbers and percentage of academic staff who are female.
5.31.2.2. The university shall track the total number of academic staff who hold a senior academic position in the university (e.g. full professor, deanship, president, vice president, provost). This includes research only positions. UM6P shall report annually on the numbers and percentage of senior academic positions held by females.

REPORTING GENDER DISCRIMINATION
5.32. UM6P shall establish campus units to help all students, staff and faculty and provide them a safe space to report incidents, seek guidance and receive support (See Safeguarding Policy/ Safeguarding Procedures).
5.33. UM6P establishes clear and confidential reporting mechanisms for incidents of discrimination or harassment based on gender. UM6P is committed to investigating such reports promptly and taking appropriate action in accordance with university policies and procedures.
SECTION 6 REVIEW AND MONITORING STATEMENT
6.1. This policy document is reviewed once every four (4) years, or more frequently when
requested by the President or subsequent changes in regulations or accreditation
requirements.