Sexual harassment is an epidemic throughout global higher education systems and impact individuals, groups and entire organizations in profound ways. Precarious working conditions, hierarchical organizations, a normalization of gender-based violence, toxic academic masculinities, a culture of silence and a lack of active leadership are all key features enabling sexual harassment. The aim of this study is to review scientific knowledge on sexual harassment in higher education. A thematic focus is on (a) knowledge derived from top-ranked peer-reviewed articles in the research field, (b) the prevalence of sexual harassment among students and staff, (c) reported consequences of sexual harassment, (d) examples of primary, secondary and tertiary preventive measures, and (e) core challenges to research on sexual harassment in higher education. The published research evidence suggests several findings of importance, mainly: (a) prevalence of sexual harassment among students is reported by on average one out of four female students; (b) severe consequences of sexual harassment impacts individuals but the effects on the quality in research and education is unknown; (c) there is almost no evidence supporting the supposed effects of major preventive measures; and (d) research on sexual harassment in higher education lacks theoretical, longitudinal, qualitative and intersectional approaches and perspectives.

Neoliberalism has long found its way into higher education and made life hard for academics in a number of different ways. The literature that maps out resistance to this development focuses on the gendered aspects of labour-economic issues. However, this study argues that the zeitgeist of neoliberalism has gendered consequences far beyond market-based categories. Thirty-two in-depth interviews with current and former academics at the University of Iceland are analysed. They demonstrate that the conceptualization of gendered sites of resistance is in need of expansion. Academics still resist traditional neoliberal derivatives by (1) exiting the institution (2) complaining through official channels (3) refusing to take part in certain activities or (4) by directly confronting their superiors. However, these resistance strategies harbour new gendered sites of resistance related to tokenism, bullying and gendered harassment.

The consequences of gender-based violence in academic cultures are severe for individuals, the study and work climate, and for the quality of research and education. EU and national policy frameworks are developed since long, guiding academic institutions work on ending violence and abuse in the European Research Area (ERA). In this article, a critique and solution to specific dilemmas and contestations immanent in transforming ERA wide policy development into effective actions on the institutional level are presented. The analysis and policy input builds on extensive knowledge from long-term gender mainstreaming programs in national contexts, thorough experience from working amidst a research political landscape with conflicting academic, political, and bureaucratic paradigms, and research-based knowledge on policy development on gender-based violence. A core contribution from the article is the development of a generic, intermediating, and systemic institutional framework for implementation, acknowledging both the ERA policy developments and the day-to-day challenges on the institutional level, from the viewpoint of succeeding in ending gender-based violence in all ERA institutions. Also, a model for monitoring and evaluation of progress on the institutional level is proposed, accompanied by assessment criteria and a set of well-defined indicators. The proposed institutional framework can serve as an important step forward, in a collaborative effort among ERA stakeholders, and serve as inspiration for global academic institutions and national contexts to foster progress on the endemic of gender-based violence permeating academic communities.

Gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the Nordic labor market prevails, despite decades of preventive work. The #Metoo movement has clearly challenged past and current notions of the Nordic countries as gender equal welfare states, but it also pointed at the inability of policy to overcome its own prerequisites. In this study, we analyze past research on sexual harassment in Nordic working life, especially targeting theoretical, methodological, and practical results and challenges. By taking this systematic Nordic research review as a point of departure, we also develop a framework to analyze and transgress existing boundaries of policy and research in several ways. By reimagining research practices, as well as neoliberal management protocols for prevention, we elaborate on ways forward through several analytical steps. Finally, we envisage a need to overcome an immanent paradox when performing social research, pointing towards a vision of critical research moving beyond contemporary research politics and policy.