GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme)
GRÓ GEST is a UNESCO-affiliated training programme hosted at the University of Iceland, delivering postgraduate diplomas, PhD scholarships, short courses, and public lectures in gender equality studies to professionals across 40 countries, funded by the Government of Iceland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersReykjavik, Iceland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) does
GRÓ GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) is an international capacity-development training programme operating under the auspices of UNESCO and hosted by the School of Humanities at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik. Established approximately 16 years ago, the programme delivers postgraduate education, PhD scholarships, short courses, a public lecture series, and alumni engagement activities to gender equality professionals and international development practitioners globally. It is one of four training programmes under GRÓ—Centre for Capacity Development, Sustainability and Societal Change, alongside the Fisheries, Geothermal, and Land Restoration Training Programmes.
The programme operates a fully scholarship-based model funded primarily by the Government of Iceland Ministry for Foreign Affairs, with co-funding from EU ERASMUS+, and charges no tuition to participants. Its core product suite comprises a Postgraduate Diploma Programme in Gender Equality Studies, Online Education distance-learning offerings, PhD Scholarships, Short Courses in hybrid and fully online formats, a Public Lecture Series, and an Alumni Fellowship Programme supported by the March 8 Fund grant mechanism. Technology infrastructure is a standard online education platform enabling distance learning; no proprietary AI or technology differentiation is described. Distribution occurs through direct delivery at the University of Iceland, the online platform, hybrid short courses, and partner universities and institutions across 40 countries.
Customer segments include gender equality professionals seeking advanced academic credentials, international development practitioners from governments, NGOs, and international organisations, and the broader alumni network engaged via the March 8 Fund, hybrid short courses, and alumni-led events. Go-to-market relies on institutional partnerships, academic networks, alumni referrals, international conference participation (e.g., Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026), and digital content including a podcast, newsletters, and publications. To date, 267 fellows have graduated across 40 countries, with 2 PhD fellows currently enrolled, and alumni continue to drive engagement (e.g., 232-participant international webinar on masculinity and mental health in July 2026).
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme)
- Legal name
- GRÓ GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme)
- Website
- https://gest.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- GRÓ GEST is a UNESCO-affiliated training programme hosted at the University of Iceland, delivering postgraduate diplomas, PhD scholarships, short courses, and public lectures in gender equality studies to professionals across 40 countries, funded by the Government of Iceland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education and Gender Equality Capacity Development
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs) (EDAHALAD)
Keywords
Where GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Reykjavik
- HQ country
- Iceland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Government and Institutional Funding: GRÓ GEST operates as a UNESCO-affiliated training programme under the auspices of UNESCO, hosted by the University of Iceland and funded by the Government of Iceland Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The programme provides postgraduate education, short courses, and PhD scholarships at no direct cost to participants, sustained through institutional grants rather than tuition revenue.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GRÓ GEST delivers postgraduate-level academic training and capacity development in gender equality studies through a Postgraduate Diploma Programme, online distance learning, and PhD scholarships. The programme also offers short courses (online and hybrid formats), public lectures, alumni fellowship programming, and research publications. It operates as a UNESCO-affiliated, fully-funded scholarship programme hosted at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, open to gender equality professionals and development practitioners globally.
Product overview
GRÓ GEST is a unified educational programme under UNESCO auspices, offering a structured portfolio of capacity development products. The core offerings consist of the Postgraduate Diploma Programme (the primary credential), complemented by Online Education and PhD Scholarships for advanced academic pathways. Short Courses provide flexible learning options. Supporting modules include Public Lecture Series for topical knowledge dissemination, Alumni Fellowship Programme for continued engagement, Networks & Collaboration for international partnerships, and Publications and Podcasts for research and audio-based content. The programme operates from the University of Iceland's School of Humanities, with 267 fellows graduated across 40 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Postgraduate Diploma Programme A postgraduate diploma programme in gender equality studies featuring structured curriculum modules, admission requirements, and student handbooks, delivered on-campus at the University of Iceland. The programme targets mid-career gender equality professionals and development practitioners globally.
- Online Education Distance learning educational offerings in gender equality studies, accessible to participants globally through digital platforms. Designed for international students and professionals unable to attend the on-campus programme in Reykjavik.
- PhD Scholarships Doctoral-level scholarship opportunities in gender equality research providing advanced academic pathways for scholars. Currently 2 PhD fellows are enrolled in the programme.
- Short Courses Compact educational programmes covering specific topics in gender equality, offered in hybrid formats combining in-person intensive sessions with online preparation. Includes alumni-led short courses.
- Alumni Fellowship Programme Structured post-graduation engagement programme for the 267 graduated fellows, including the March 8 Fund (which provides grants for gender equality initiatives) and access to hybrid short courses for continued professional development and network maintenance.
Quantifiable outcome
- 267 fellows graduated
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme)
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- High School of Public Governance of UkrainecoreGRÓ GEST signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the High School of Public Governance of Ukraine during the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2026) in Gdańsk, Poland. The agreement was signed by Dr Irma Erlingsdóttir, Director of GRÓ GEST, establishing collaboration on gender equality education and capacity building in Ukraine's recovery context.
- University of IcelandcoreGRÓ GEST is hosted by the School of Humanities at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik. The university provides institutional infrastructure, academic oversight through the Academic Committee, and administrative support for the programme.
- UNESCOcoreGRÓ GEST operates under the auspices of UNESCO as an international training programme. UNESCO affiliation provides institutional legitimacy, international recognition, and alignment with global gender equality frameworks and Sustainable Development Goals.
- Nordic Women Mediators NetworkminorGRÓ GEST collaborates with the Nordic Women Mediators Network as part of its international collaboration and networks activities. This partnership connects gender equality education with peace and security frameworks in the Nordic region.
- Erasmus+minorGRÓ GEST participates in Erasmus+ institutional partnership agreements, enabling collaboration with European universities and supporting student and faculty exchanges within the EU's education programme.
- TAMIDA TanzaniaminorTAMIDA Tanzania collaborated with GRÓ GEST alumni to organise the international webinar on masculinity, mental health and well-being, demonstrating alumni-led partnerships in action.
- Thrive Together CBOminorThrive Together CBO partnered with GRÓ GEST alumni and TAMIDA Tanzania for the international webinar, showcasing community-based organisation collaboration.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): Germany's primary agency for international academic exchange and scholarship administration. Comparable in providing government-funded scholarships, postgraduate programmes, and capacity-development partnerships, though at significantly larger scale.
- UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks Programme: UNESCO's flagship university twinning and networking programme, which connects higher-education institutions around thematic chairs. GRÓ GEST operates under UNESCO auspices and competes for visibility and partnerships in the same global capacity-development ecosystem.
- United Nations University (UNU): Global academic institution of the UN system conducting policy-relevant research and postgraduate education, including gender-related work. Comparable as a UN-affiliated, grant-funded postgraduate education provider with international cohorts.
- University of Iceland School of Humanities: Host institution that provides academic oversight and platform infrastructure for GRÓ GEST. Operates the broader faculty and degree programmes within which GEST sits, making it the most direct academic peer for curriculum design and delivery model.
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees: EU-funded international master's programmes operating through consortia of universities. GRÓ GEST already participates in Erasmus+, and Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees offer a comparable cross-border, fully-funded postgraduate model in adjacent social science fields.
Direct peers
- GRÓ FTP (Fisheries Training Programme): Sister programme under the same GRÓ umbrella at the University of Iceland, operating the identical model of UNESCO-affiliated international capacity-development fellowships. Closest structural and operational analogue to GRÓ GEST.
- GRÓ GTP (Geothermal Training Programme): Another sister programme within GRÓ, sharing the same host institution, funding architecture, and fellowship-based training model. Provides direct comparison for cohort sizes, alumni network design, and donor economics.
- GRÓ LRT (Land Restoration Training Programme): Fourth programme in the GRÓ family, applying the same UNESCO-affiliated, government-funded fellowship model to land restoration. Comparable in governance, scale, and post-graduate educational delivery.
Emerging players
- Danish Institute for Human Rights: National human rights institution of Denmark with a dedicated gender equality and research mandate, running capacity-building programmes for practitioners globally. Overlaps with GRÓ GEST in target audience (gender equality professionals) and educational offerings.
Regional players
- Nordic Africa Institute: Sweden-based Nordic institution providing capacity-building, research, and policy dialogue focused on Africa, including gender-related programming. Comparable as a publicly-funded Nordic centre offering international fellowships and short courses.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) social profiles
Digital presenceGEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme)
What does GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) do?
GRÓ GEST delivers postgraduate-level academic training and capacity development in gender equality studies through a Postgraduate Diploma Programme, online distance learning, and PhD scholarships. The programme also offers short courses (online and hybrid formats), public lectures, alumni fellowship programming, and research publications. It operates as a UNESCO-affiliated, fully-funded scholarship programme hosted at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik, open to gender equality professionals and development practitioners globally.
Is GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) a public or private company?
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) founded?
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) based?
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) is headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, in the Europe region.
How does GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) make money?
One revenue line is on record: government and Institutional Funding.
Who are GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme)'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks Programme, United Nations University (UNU), University of Iceland School of Humanities and Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees. Direct peers are GRÓ FTP (Fisheries Training Programme), GRÓ GTP (Geothermal Training Programme) and GRÓ LRT (Land Restoration Training Programme). Danish Institute for Human Rights is listed as an emerging player. Nordic Africa Institute is listed as a regional player.
Does GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) have an API?
No public API is recorded for GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme).
What industry is GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme) in?
GEST (Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme)'s product category is Higher Education and Gender Equality Capacity Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHALAB, Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension), with a secondary code of EDAHALAD, Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs). Its NAICS code is 61131 and its SIC code is 8200.