About This Course
Gender equality in education is both a fundamental human right and a key driver of social and economic progress. Yet despite decades of policy commitment, gender stereotypes still shape subject choices, career aspirations and self-concept in European classrooms. Girls are underrepresented in STEM pathways. Boys are underrepresented in reading and language. LGBTQ+ students continue to face invisibility and hostility in most European schools. Non-binary and gender-diverse students are almost entirely unsupported.
This course gives education professionals a thoughtful, evidence-based and practically focused engagement with gender equality in education. Participants explore the research on how gender shapes learning, identity and aspiration; develop practical strategies for creating classrooms and schools where all students can thrive regardless of gender; and address the specific challenges of supporting LGBTQ+ students and challenging gender stereotypes.
The course is aligned with the Erasmus+ Inclusion and Diversity priority, the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020 to 2025, the EU LGBTQI Equality Strategy 2020 to 2025 and the European Education Area commitment to equity.
Who Should Attend
- Teachers who want to create more genuinely equitable classroom environments
- School counsellors and pastoral staff supporting LGBTQ+ students
- School leaders developing gender equality and inclusion policies
- PSHE, citizenship and social studies teachers
- Teachers interested in challenging gender stereotypes in subject choices and aspirations
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
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Explain the research on how gender shapes learning, aspiration and identity in European schools.
The evidence is clear: gender stereotypes in education are real, measurable and consequential. You will know what the research shows about gendered subject choices, teacher expectations, peer dynamics and the specific challenges faced by different groups of students, and be able to present it clearly and calmly to colleagues who are sceptical.
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Apply gender-aware and gender-responsive teaching practices that challenge stereotypes and expand aspirations.
Gender-aware teaching is not about treating all students identically. It is about being conscious of how gender shapes the dynamics in your classroom and making deliberate choices to challenge stereotypes, call in quieter voices and expand every student's sense of what is possible for them.
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Create a classroom environment and language that is inclusive of LGBTQ+ students.
LGBTQ+ students consistently report higher rates of bullying, lower sense of belonging and worse mental health outcomes than their non-LGBTQ+ peers in European schools. You will have specific, practical approaches for making your classroom a place where LGBTQ+ students feel safe, seen and supported.
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Challenge gender stereotypes in subject choices and career aspirations through deliberate pedagogical choices.
The gender gap in STEM subject choices does not begin in secondary school. It begins in primary school, in the stories teachers tell and do not tell, the images in the books they use, the people they reference as role models and the assumptions they make about who is good at what.
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Develop a school gender equality action plan that addresses policy, practice and culture.
Individual teacher practice matters but systemic change requires institutional commitment. You will have a framework for developing a gender equality action plan that addresses curriculum, extracurricular activity, staff development, policy and school culture together.
A 7-Day Professional Development Experience
The Sude Nexus programme combines five days of intensive professional training with a structured arrival day and a cultural excursion day. The outline below gives a general sense of the week. We are always open to tailoring the programme to your needs.
Participants arrive at their chosen destination and are welcomed by the Sude Nexus local team. Check-in to accommodation, welcome pack distribution and an informal welcome dinner. A brief orientation walk introduces the city.
Guided cultural excursion to a key landmark of the destination. Participants travelling home are free to depart after breakfast.
This outline is a starting point, not a fixed schedule. Contact us to discuss how we can tailor this programme for your institution.
EU Policy Alignment
Erasmus+ 2026 Horizontal Priorities
EU Competence Frameworks
EU Policy Initiatives
Available Locations and Dates
This course is available across all 13 Sude Nexus destinations. Check the dates page for current availability.
Check Dates and Availability