Faculty views on gender integration in LIS education: A multi-country survey

Integrating gender perspectives into higher education curricula is widely recognized as essential for inclusive and socially responsive teaching, yet implementation remains uneven across disciplines and institutional contexts. This study examines how gender perspectives are incorporated into Library and Information Science (LIS) teaching across six European countries. A cross-sectional survey of 115 academic staff collected sociodemographic and professional information, perceptions of institutional support and barriers, and qualitative reflections. Quantitative analysis identified a three-factor institutional support model—formal commitment, policy implementation and expertise, and student and faculty engagement—with no significant differences by gender or country. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed four themes: the educational value of gender perspectives, curricular integration, institutional enablers (training, resources, workload recognition), and resistance or controversy. Findings suggest that formal commitments alone are insufficient and must be supported by concrete institutional mechanisms. The study provides comparative evidence and practical recommendations for embedding gender perspectives sustainably in LIS curricula.