Slow and unsteady

Covid-19 could spur higher education to diversify—at long last

International Women’s Day has shone a spotlight on women in academia—and their conspicuous absence in certain fields and career tiers. To many academics, the statistics and commentary published around the occasion may feel familiar. Haven’t we heard it before? That may be the case, but sadly it bears continued repeating. 

The fact is senior academia remains dominated by men. Across Europe, women generally make up just 20 per cent of professors, with the Eastern European states taking the lead in gender equality. This is despite the fact that, in 2019, 46 per cent of European women aged 30-34 had completed a university degree, compared with just 35 per cent of men.