Global Leaders Collaborate to Strengthen Action to Tackle Sexual Harassment in Academia

Sexual harassment remains a serious and damaging challenge in academia worldwide. On 27–28 October 2025, the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), in collaboration with the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), convened an international workshop in Paris to address this urgent issue. Hosted by the Académie des sciences and supported by the Henry Luce Foundation, the workshop brought together 21 experts from 16 countries to share experiences, evidence and solutions.

A Global Challenge, Local Realities

Discussions highlighted that while the harms of sexual harassment are universal, the ways they appear and are addressed vary across contexts. Participants emphasized the need for flexible frameworks, strong leadership and culturally informed approaches to ensure policies are meaningful and effective.

The workshop also underlined the high costs of harassment, including individual trauma, lost talent and reduced diversity and innovation in research teams. Participants stressed the need for improved data collection and sharing of effective practices to drive systemic change globally.

Lessons from Around the World

Case studies from Australia, Colombia, Nigeria, France, India and Jordan illustrated both progress and ongoing gaps in addressing sexual harassment. While legal reforms and activism have sparked change, cultural transformation remains work in progress. Sustainable solutions require leadership accountability, training, inclusive policies and centering the voices of marginalized communities.

Shared Values and Commitments

Inspired by the workshop, participants articulated core shared values, including human dignity, academic integrity and global interconnectedness. They also affirmed a shared commitment to advancing harassment-free academic environments. The commitment outlines concrete actions, including:

• Developing flexible, context-sensitive frameworks
• Expanding intersectional data collection
• Sharing promising practices globally
• Centering marginalized voices
• Engaging allies and leaders across academia

The document which includes both the summary of the international workshop presentations and discussions and the shared commitment is now publicly available. It provides a guiding framework for institutions, academies and individuals worldwide to take action against sexual harassment in academia. Building on this momentum, IAP aims to develop a follow-on activity to further advance these efforts.

A Call to Action 

Sexual harassment affects not only individuals but the global academic community. By acting collectively and following the principles in the Shared Commitment, research institutions can create safer, more inclusive environments where all scholars can thrive.

Full Report

Read the full Shared Commitment here.