Arqus Academic Debate #4: Women in Academia Across Europe

On February 3 at 17.30, a few days leading up to the celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the Arqus European University Alliance will hold an online event on women and academia. The discussion includes a special focus on the access and presence of women in "hard sciences" such as STEM disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and will also cover the most important aspects on gender equality.

There are still many problems regarding the gender gap in university working environments, with some differences in Europe. Furthermore, the gender gap seems to increase in direct proportion to the academic hierarchical scale. The metaphor most used is the ‘glass ceiling’, which means the invisible limitations, not analysed by data, that women are facing as they climb towards careers in top positions, including and positions in academia. Therefore, it is quite essential to discuss the gender gap across European universities, with the relevant data in hand.

For this reason, the fourth Arqus debate features scholars talking about their experiences by discussing obstacles and opportunities, both in the past and today, which universities and society pose to women pursuing academic careers. The aim of the debate is not only to confront, discuss and promote awareness for change, but also to offer tools needed to stimulate interest and provide information on the relevance of research, in particular scientific research, by sharing the successes and achievements held by women.

The fourth Arqus Academic Debate includes scholars Helène Courtois from the University of Lyon, Sandra Pralgauskaitė from Vilnius University, Margarita Sánchez Romero from the University of Granada, and Renate Dworczak from the University of Graz.The debate will be moderated by Annalisa Oboe, Vice-Rector for Cultural, Social and Gender Relations at the University of Padua.

The University of Padua is coordinating the event as a member of the Arqus European University Alliance. The event will be broadcast live on the
Arqus YouTube channel on February 3, 17.30 CET.

Previous events from the Arqus Academic Debate series have explored the topics of: Post-Pandemic Citizens (University of Bergen), The US presidential elections: a battle for global? supremacy (University of Graz), and Energy as a pillar, driver and goal of today's world (University of Granada).

All Arqus Academic Debates are recorded and available for online viewing on the Arqus Alliance Youtube playlist.

 

The Arqus European University Alliance brings together the universities of Bergen, Granada, Graz, Leipzig, Lyon, Padova and Vilnius. Its principal ambition is to act jointly as a laboratory for institutional learning from which to move forward in the design, testing and implementation of an innovative model for deep inter-university cooperation.

Arqus aspires to build on the member universities’ sound prior experience in cooperation in order to achieve a high level of integration in its members’ policies and action plans in order to enhance the education of critically engaged European and global citizens who are able and willing to contribute to a multicultural, multilingual and inclusive Europe which is open to the world; increase and improve the joint research capacity of the partner universities; better respond to the grand societal challenges of the 21st century in Europe and beyond.