The Research Study to Further Gender Equality in Higher Education is being jointly conducted by the Department of Education at the Brunel University London and The Department of Women and Gender Studies, at the Savitribai Phule Pune University.

This collaboration aims to analyze the working and success of NEP 2020 (National Education Policy), with reference to the achievements of the UK's higher education, focusing on access, campus climate, retention, and inclusion of gender in curricular and institutional practices in India.

The Department of Education at Brunel University in London is the project's lead partner, and the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the Savitribai Phule Pune University in India will be conducting field research.The study will be conducted in five states selected on the basis of socio-economic diversity of the regions, their gross enrolment ratio and gender parity index. A combination of private as well as public institutions will be involved to reflect diversity of the higher education landscape in India.

It will include online surveys, in-depth and action research interviews with students and staff from ten higher education institutes across Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

This project is being supported by the British Council, with the aim of producing evidence based research through which recommendations can be formulated and presented to the Indian government, which will then support the Indian Ministry of Education, in realising the aspirations set out in the National Education Policy 2020, while also advancing India and the United Kingdom's partnerships on higher education, promoting equality and inclusion in India, and supporting the United Kingdom's priorities in becoming India's long-term strategic knowledge partner.