Abstract:  Gender equality initiatives in higher education face numerous challenges, from persistent meritocracy myths to gendered workload allocations and the influence of neoliberalism. Research on this topic has examined how institutions address these barriers through policy interventions such as Gender Equality Plans (GEPs), but less attention has been paid to the impact of broader political contexts on GEP implementation, particularly in cases where measures face pushback. This article analyses GEP implementation at two STEM‐oriented institutions in Slovakia operating within a national context that is broadly sceptical of such values. Drawing on institutional theory, this study examines how organizations navigate this challenging environment through a series of 19 semi‐structured interviews with administrators, researchers, and institutional representatives. The study shows that external pressure exerted with a lack of localized expertise can lead to fragmentary implementation and highlights the fact that hostile local contexts compel a greater reliance on “common sense” approaches and commitment on the part of management. The article advances our understanding of how national discourses influence GEP implementation and argues for context‐sensitive evaluative approaches with broader implications for GEP assessment practices.

Keywords:  Central Europe; gender equality; Gender Equality Plans; higher education; Slovakia

Published:   17 September 2025

Issue:   Vol 13 (2025): Gender Equality Plans in European Research Performing Organisations (In Progress)