Figures show that women are still lagging behind in terms of career progress and representation at UK universities, with just 28 percent of professors being female despite 56 percent of first-degree undergraduates being women.
Figures show that women are still lagging behind in terms of career progress and representation at UK universities, with just 28 percent of professors being female despite 56 percent of first-degree undergraduates being women.
A new international endeavor aims to reduce some of the hindrances faced by underrepresented groups in their academic careers.
Co-led by researchers from the University of Bath’s Department of Education and Faculty of Science, the project seeks to address challenges such as bias in decision-making processes, lack of access to resources and networks, and inadequate support for career development.
The University of Bath has announced the launch of the project, co-led by Professor Andrea Abbas from the Department of Education and Professor Momna Hejmadi, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science. This international collaboration, supported by University of Bath Global Chair, Professor Penny Jane Burke and whose announcement coincided with International Women’s Day on March 8, also aims to improve gender equality and the representation of women in higher education.
Professor Kerryn Burke was appointed Global Innovation Chair of Equity and Director of the Centre for Excellence in Equity in Higher Education (CEEHE) at the University of Newcastle, Australia. In addition to this role, Professor Burke also holds the title of UNESCO Chair in Equity, Social Justice and Higher Education and has been Global Chair at the University of Bath since 2020.
Prof. Burke has provided leadership to support equity and excellence in higher education during her time at the university. Drawing on research from CEEHE and the College of Engineering, Science and Environment with Prof. Regina Berretta, she has advised on methods and approaches to collaborative research that will be used to improve access and career progression for academics in STEM subjects across gender, race and class.
Figures show that women are still lagging behind in terms of career progress and representation at UK universities, with just 28 percent of professors being female despite 56 percent of first-degree undergraduates being women. Initiatives such as Athena SWAN have attempted to address this gender gap, yet the University of Bath’s 2019 data shows that only a small increase has been seen in female representation among STEM professors (8 percent) and faculty staff (6 percent).
A new international project involving academics from the University of Bath, the University of Ghana, and the University of Newcastle (Australia) is set to begin in April 2023. The survey-based initiative will explore issues of inequity among science students and staff at each institution, where researchers hope that through understanding individual experiences, they can develop solutions to ensure fairer outcomes for all.
