Dorothea MEYWomen in the European Higher Education Area Workshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007 1 Women in German Academia 1.Career paths of academic staff 2.Participation.

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

1

Women in German Academia

1. Career paths of academic staff

2. Participation of women (and men) in German academia – trends and numbers

3. Measures taken and actions to carry out

4. European networking

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

2

Standard Career Pattern (Simplified)

Chair (W2/W3) „Extraordinary“ professorships

Lecturers

Private lecturers

Academic employees

6 Years Junior-professorship

Habilitation or equivalent qualification

Financing:

- Scientific staff- Research grants and

fellowships- Scholarships- Private financing

2 Years

Post-doc research

3 – 4 Years

Doctorate

5 – 6 Years

First qualification: Diploma, Master, Bachelor - Student assistant- Scholarships- Private financing

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

3

Development of male and female student numbers 1913 - 2004

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1913 1925 1935 1944 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1998 2004

women

men

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

4

Expansion of Academia and Participation of Women in 1965 – 1998 in Absolute Figures

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

1965 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 1998

number of all academic staff

number of professorships

number of female staff

number of female professors

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

5

Women‘s Share Across Different Academic Levels 1992 - 2004

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Wo

me

n i

n % Graduates

Doctorate degrees

Habilitations

Professors

C4/W3-Professors

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

6

Women‘s Share in New Professorships, 1997-2004

0

5

10

15

20

25

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Wo

me

n i

n %

Applications

Nominations

Chairs

Appointments

Habilitations

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

7

Women Lost Along the Way (2005)“leaky pipeline”

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

University entrancequalification holders

Students Doctorate degrees Habilitations Professors C4 / W3

Women in %

Men in %

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

8

Retrospective Analysis All Subjects

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

New e

ntrants

198

6

Students

198

9

Gra

duates

1991 -

1993

Doctora

te d

egrees

199

5 - 1

997

Habili

tatio

ns 200

1 - 20

03

Profe

ssors

C2 /

C3 200

3 - 20

05

Profe

ssors

C4 /

W3 2

003 -

2005

Women in %

Men in %

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

9

Retrospective Analysis Linguistics and Cultural Studies

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

New e

ntrants

198

6

Students

198

9

Gra

duates

1991 -

1993

Doctora

te d

egrees

199

5 - 1

997

Habili

tatio

ns 200

1 - 20

03

Profe

ssors

C2 /

C3 200

3 - 20

05

Profe

ssors

C4 /

W3 2

003 -

2005

Women in %

Men in %

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

10

(Historical) Barriers Impeding the Integration of Women Into Academia

• Profound division of labour• Historically, very high prestige and exclusiveness of academic

profession, especially professorships• Very late entry of women into higher education and academic

professions• Informal selection and co-opting mechanisms• A long and risky career ladder• Women are more likely to rely on non – regular financial support

while working on their doctorates and habilitations• Women are more likely to occupy inferior sectors of the academic

labour market• The traditional hierarchical system of university organisation

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

11

Trends in Favour of Women’s Access to Academia

• A growing female participation in the labour force in general• Feminist pressure• Affirmative actions and gender mainstreaming• A changing academic environment (more female mentors and

networks)• Stagnating interest of men in university studies and careers in a

shrinking public sector• Sinking attractiveness of science, decreasing distinctiveness of

academic profession

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

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What is to be done

• Offer better solutions to combine work and family • Develop possibilities for double careers • PhD Thesis and examinations to be supervised by committees • Transparency: Obligation to formalize employment procedures -

external experts must be involved• Women’s share as a performance indicator for universities• Positive discrimination? Minimum quotas for women in academic staff• What about the trend towards headhunting? Would headhunting of

women be a solution?• Last but not least: Make science and working conditions more

attractive for women

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

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What is needed on a European Level

• Facilitate mobility of women: develop guest- and mentoring programs• Join existing European networks of women in science• Organize European recruiting systems in favour of female scientists

Dorothea MEY Women in the European Higher Education AreaWorkshop GEW 6. – 7. Dec. 2007

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And now wish us a good discussion