EU Award for Gender Equality Champions – apply by 18 June

Since 2022, the European Commission recognises institutions with the most impactful Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) by awarding them with a Gender Equality Champion prize. 

These institutions can be universities, higher education institutions, and other research performing organisations (public or private), established in an EU Member State or a Third Country associated to the Horizon Europe programme, including Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

There are 3 award categories:

1. Sustainable Gender Equality Champions: organisations that can demonstrate a significant and sustained record of activity and a high level of achievement through the implementation of their GEP.
2. Newcomer Gender Equality Champions: organisations that have recently finalised the implementation of their first GEP and can demonstrate the most progress achieved through its implementation.
3. Inclusive Gender Equality Champions: organisations that can demonstrate concrete results obtained through the implementation of an inclusive GEP. This should address intersections between gender and at least two other social categories, such as racial or ethnic origin, social origin, sexual orientation and gender identity, or disability.

The results will be officially announced during an award ceremony to be held in 2026. Each winner will receive a trophy and a €100,000 prize.

Applicants can only apply to one of the three categories and winners from past editions cannot re-apply to another category.

The deadline for applications is 18 June.

Find out more

Press release

Gender Equality Champion prize

Gender Equality Plans

Rules of Contest