Are we on route to gender equality in higher education?

More women are attending university than ever before and a quarter of the world’s top universities have appointed a female president, but research shows that female academics are being pushed out of academia and are evaluated lower than male lecturers, which could stifle their careers.

So what’s the state of play at the moment, and what can we do to redress the balance?

Mind the pay gap

The gender pay gap has widened in some western countries. Put simply, men are still earning more than women for the same work.

In 2023, the median salary for women in UK higher education was £37,467, while for men, it was £40,928. This translates to an 8.5% pay gap, which remained unchanged from the previous year. In the UK the mean, full-time hourly gender pay gap was 11.3% in 2022. In higher education, the mean pay gap was slightly higher at 14.8%.

On average, the higher education sector in the Netherlands is projected to take 14 years to close its gender pay gap, compared to 18 years for all employment sectors in the UK.

This issue is not confined to higher education. In July, Dutch News reported that two female judges are suing the state for failing to close the pay gap between men and women in the judiciary. The judges, supported by women’s rights Bureau Clara Wichmann, want the current pay scale to be replaced by one that raises women’s salaries by 8%, putting them on a par with their male counterparts.

Gender bias and career progression

Women working in higher education may also experience something of a glass ceiling in their careers.

A recent Times Higher Education article reported it can take women 15 years longer than men to progress to full professorship at top UK universities, referencing HESA data for Russell Group Universities from 2004/5 to 2019/20.

If that weren’t enough, recent studies on student evaluations have shown that female academics face more backlash for grades given than male instructors.

Barriers to gender equality

Barriers can be linked to occupational segregation, where women and men tend to work in different occupations and industries. Some fields, such as technology and finance, have wider gaps due to under-representation of women in senior roles.

Vertical segregation can also be a factor within organisations, women are often under-represented in senior leadership positions. This lack of representation affects progression and earning potential.

Other factors affecting career progression and earnings include the motherhood penalty – when women who become mothers and main carers experience stumbling blocks in their pay or opportunities to progress.

Recent studies on student evaluations have shown that female academics face more backlash for grades given than male instructors

Women may prioritise work-life balance, leading to career choices that impact progression and earnings Another factor relates to negotiation differences and research shows that women may negotiate less aggressively for higher salaries than men.

Then there is unconscious bias, where stereotypes and biases can influence hiring, promotion, and salary decisions.

What can we do to empower women in higher education and safeguard gender equality?

Identifying the underlying causes is part of the solution – but we also need to develop equality, diversity, and inclusion strategies to address the gap, and these can include:

• Parental Leave Policies: encouraging shared parental leave to help reduce the motherhood penalty.
• Transparency: transparent salary structures to help identify disparities and promote fair pay.
• Education and Awareness: educating employers and employees about the impact of the gender pay gap fosters change.
• Equal Pay Audits: regular audits to ensure pay equity within organisations.
• Promoting Women in Leadership: increasing female representation in leadership roles.

Efforts to improve gender equality and reduce disparities are essential for creating a more equitable work environment in higher education. Nordic countries such as Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have made substantial progress in closing the gap. Iceland, for instance, has one of the lowest ‘gender pay’ gaps globally.

The country consistently ranks as the world’s most gender-equal society. It has held this position for a decade.

Key factors contributing to Iceland’s success include a strong political feminism movement in the 1970s, which laid the foundation for female empowerment and still permeates all aspects of Icelandic society, as well as progressive childcare policies.

These ensure that women don’t face a choice between work and raising children. Universal childcare and generous parental leave (90 days for both parents) ease the burden of childrearing from mothers.

Iceland ranks number one for “Wage equality for similar work,” but 26th for “Estimated earned income”

Meanwhile, Norway has closed over 83% of its overall gender gap and continues to make steady progress, and supportive parenting policies and heavily subsidised childcare encourage women to enter the workforce. Quotas legislate a 40% female presence in parliament and on business boards, resulting in strong female representation.

And Sweden boasts the world’s most generous parental leave policy at 480 days or around 16 months. Initiatives that helped close Sweden’s gender gap include increasing female legislators and ministerial positions. In 2016, the number of Swedish women equalled males in ministerial positions for the first time

Higher education

Looking specifically at higher education, these countries also provide insights into ways to address gender equality.

Norwegian universities actively worked to achieve gender balance among students and faculty. They encourage female participation in STEM fields.

Some Norwegian universities set targets for female representation in leadership roles and academic positions. Quotas ensure a minimum percentage of women in decision-making bodies.

Norway provides parental leave and flexible work arrangements, allowing both men and women to balance family responsibilities with academic pursuits.

And Icelandic universities prioritise equal access to education. They actively recruit and support female students in traditionally male-dominated fields. In Iceland, efforts are made to ensure equitable distribution of research funding between male and female researchers.

Swedish universities adopt gender-neutral language and policies. They actively combat gender stereotypes. The country hosts gender research centres that promote interdisciplinary studies on gender and equality.

These countries prioritise gender balance, implement supportive policies, and actively address gender disparities in higher education.

Given the importance of this issue, and the number of women impacted by these trends, Simone Hackett, based in the Netherlands, and Michelle Stewart, based in the UK, will explore this issue at the EAIE conference in September.