French government addresses gender gap in science and higher education
More should be done to make scientific careers more attractive to French women, and to remove the 'glass ceiling' preventing them from attaining senior positions in research and high education institutes. These are just some of the issues highlighted in a recently published report by a ministerial committee for professional gender equality in research and higher education. Despite a gradual increase over the last 10 years, the number of female researchers remains low in France. In 2004, only 28% of researchers were female, many of which were working in the public sector. The figures for higher education would appear to be more promising, with more than half of research posts held by women. However on closer inspection, only 27% of those working in basic and applied sciences, and 25% in engineering schools, were women. To redress the situation, the report makes a number of recommendations, several of which have already been given the green light by François Goulard, French Minister for Education and Research. They include: - ensuring that gender equality policy in higher education and public research institutes is more explicit; - developing university programmes and extending PhD grants to cover maternity and adoption leave; - extending the scientific disciplines covered in the Irene Joliot-Curie Prize - a prize named after the physician and Nobel-prize winning daughter of Marie Curie for women in science and technology. In line with the recommendation to make science more attractive to young girls at primary and secondary level, Mr Goulard announced that a total of €500,000 has been earmarked for campaigns promoting women in science. Mr Goulard also underlined the importance of seeing women represented in more senior and decision-making positions, and the need to ensure that the workforce in higher education and research institutes reflects the gender proportions in the population.
Countries
France