Based on the latest reports from the Information Processing Centre (OPI), it turns out that 94.6 thousand academic teachers were employed in Poland. Women made up 48.4% of this group, which translates into 45.8 thousand posts. However, there are noticeable differences between the fields of science and study programs. Disparities in the shares of women and men are also noticeable considering university features (e.g., public and non-public universities) and characteristics of academic teachers (e.g., degree or academic title and position). The proportion of women decreases with subsequent positions and degrees and academic titles. Gender diversity among lecturers positively impacts the innovation and quality of research due to diverse approaches and methodologies. This topic is crucial for the development of science, hence on behalf of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNiSW), OPI prepared a new section – Women in Science on the RAD-on portal. It includes interactive reports that provide information tailored to users’ individual needs.
Gender Balance at Universities
Promoting gender balance at universities aligns with the principles of social justice and equality, which are the foundation of modern educational institutions. The presence of women in academic positions helps break down gender stereotypes and strengthens equal professional opportunities. Gender balance also promotes a more inclusive and supportive work environment, which can boost staff satisfaction and efficiency.
The topic of women’s presence among academic staff at various levels is crucial and advocated by the European Union, and in Poland by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The Ministry acknowledges the need to collect and share data on women’s participation in the field of research and development. Thanks to this, anyone can track progress in gender equality on the RAD-on portal, understand the scale of the problem, and identify areas where corrective action is needed – states Dr. Jarosław Protasiewicz, Director of the Information Processing Centre. – Appreciating the importance of this topic, at the request of the Ministry, we decided to add a new section to the RAD-on portal that is entirely dedicated to women in science. It contains the latest reports from the OPI, which concern women employed as academic teachers at universities in Poland. The data contained in them show the career paths of women and answer the question of whether female academic teachers encounter a glass ceiling – adds the director of OPI.
The Title of Professor is Male Dominated?
Gender balance among academic teachers is key to ensuring diversity of perspectives, which enriches the educational process and scientific research. Universities that promote gender balance can better reflect the structure of society and inspire all student groups. The percentage of women decreases with subsequent positions and degrees and academic titles.
Despite women’s participation among individuals with doctoral degrees exceeding 50% in 2022, women only made up 28% among professors. This phenomenon is characteristic of Polish science, which we have observed for many years – says Dr. Aldona Tomczyńska, assistant professor and leader of the Data Science Team at the OPI. – However, one should take into account that the lower representation of women among professors is related to their lower participation in the older age groups of academic teachers. Since age is correlated with the academic degree, perhaps generational changes happening will increase gender balance at higher levels of scientific careers in the future – adds Dr. Tomczyńska.
The phenomenon of numerical superiority of men among academic teachers with the title of professor is confirmed by the Glass Ceiling Index (GCI). The so-called glass ceiling phenomenon is visible at most Polish universities. GCI in 2022 for most universities was between 1 and 3. In the division into areas of science, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) has the highest GCI (1.83). This means almost twice fewer chances for women compared to men to achieve the highest academic title. However, for social sciences and humanities, this index is 1.69.
Few Women Engineers at Universities
There are significant differences in the participation of women among academic teachers between areas. The STEM area is characterized by the lowest participation of women among academic staff (33%). In contrast, in the SSH area, the share of women is significantly larger, reaching 50% – says Dr. Anna Knapińska, assistant professor in the Laboratory of Database and Business Analytics Systems at the OPI. – Although women represent the majority in some scientific fields among academic staff, it is worth noting that gender imbalance is less pronounced than in male-dominated fields. Men represent over 40% in medical sciences, while women only about 27% in engineering and technology – adds Dr. Knapińska.
It’s unquestionably important to intensify efforts to increase the number of women lecturers in engineering fields. A larger presence of women in these fields can inspire and motivate female students to undertake studies and careers in STEM fields, breaking traditional barriers and combating gender stereotypes.
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/484-nauczycieli-akademickich-w-polsce-stanowia-kobiety-ich-udzial-wsrod-profesorow-jest-znacznie-mniejszy-32726
