Preventing and tackling harassment in the university workplace

Abstract

This article examines the regulatory, legal and practical aspects of harassment in the workplace at higher education institutions in Ukraine. Interna­tional standards for the prevention and eradication of violence and harassment in the workplace are outlined. The main provisions of Council of Europe and European Union law regarding the prevention of harassment in the scientific and educational sectors are highlighted. National legislation in this area is analysed, with particular emphasis on the role of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. A separate section of the study is devoted to analysing the case law of national courts in harassment cases. Despite growing attention from national and international institutions to the issue of harassment, empirical data on its prevalence in Ukrainian higher education institutions remain limited. To partially address this gap, the findings of an anonymous online survey of higher education staff, in which 135 people took part, have been analysed. The results revealed a high level of awareness among staff regarding the nature of harassment; however, issues of legal liability and means of protection against such violations require further attention. Furthermore, based on empirical data, the specific nature of academic and teaching staffʼs expectations regarding institutional responses to cases of harassment has been identified. A particular concern among staff is maintaining a balance between the confidentiality of investigations and the public disclosure of their findings. The study highlighted the need for further improvement of the legal and organisational mechanisms for preventing and combating harassment in higher education institutions in Ukraine. On this basis, recommenda­tions were formulated regarding the development of a corporate culture and the improvement of legal regulation, aimed at ensuring a safe, dignified and healthy working environment in higher education institutions.