The percentage of women professors at Radboud University has increased by half a percentage point. On average at Dutch universities, the percentage of women professors was 28.7% by the end of 2023, up from 27.6% the year before. This means that, for the first time, the Netherlands has more than 1,000 women professors.
In 2023, the growth rate was just below 1.2 percentage point measured on average over the past decade. If growth continues as it has over the past three years, it will take until 2044 to achieve a proportional male-female distribution among professors. Of the 14 universities, 13, including Radboud University, showed an increase in the proportion of women professors between the end of 2022 and the end of 2023.
Other job categories
Radboud University monitors the inflow, outflow and advancement of women in various academic positions. The proportion of female associate professors increased from 35.8% to 38.7%. This group are candidates for future professorial appointments. The proportion of female assistant professors (from 48.6% to 49%) and PhD candidates (from 50.1% to 51.1%) also increased. Radboud University is among the six universities where the proportion of women in each job category is above the national average.
Women are well represented in academic management and administration at Radboud University. Of the seven deans, four are women. Starting from next year, the Executive Board will also consist of three women.
Targets
The national target figure for the proportion of women professors is 32.1% by 2025. The figures are not growing fast enough, and the current political climate will also make this more challenging, as the monitor describes. As for Radboud University itself, the target was revised to 36%, after the previous target of 30% had already been achieved in 2020. However, if growth does not accelerate compared to the past two years, the University will ‘only’ be able to achieve a 33% proportion of women professors, according to the monitor's forecast.
“It is a good sign that there is an increase at almost all universities, but we are not there yet. We will have to continue our efforts to reach this target,” says Rector Magnificus José Sanders of Radboud University. “The education cuts definitely create an additional challenge for the position of women. I find it hopeful to see that the number of women in other positions is also increasing. It strengthens my confidence that we can move towards gender equality in academia.”
For more information, please see the Women Professors Monitor 2024 by LNVH.
