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According to a study by the Council of Canadian Academies, Strengthening Canada’s Research Capacity: The Gender Dimension, there is a significant gender gap in university research careers in Canada, which means women are excluded from both recognition and equal pay.
James Bradshaw of The Globe and Mail explains:
“Two decades after women began to outnumber men on university campuses, those gains in the student population haven’t translated into many victories for female researchers and faculty.These are the conclusions of a new report, commissioned by the federal government two years ago after a prominent research granting program failed to choose even one woman for 19 awards.”
Major findings from the study include:
Not Unique to Canada: The Canadian profile is similar to that of other economically advanced nations., which means gender disparity in university research careers is not isolated to Canada.
Career Advancement Barriers: Women’s progress in Canadian universities is uneven and dependent on discipline and rank.
Gender Gap: The higher the rank, the lower the percentage of women is in comparison to men and the greater the gender gap is.
Primary Causes: The key factors that affect the career paths of women, as determined by the study, “start early in life with stereotypes that define roles and expectations, followed by a lack of knowledge about requisites for potential career paths, and a lack of role models and mentors. These issues, combined with a rigid tenure track structure, challenges associated with the paid work-family life balance, and the importance of increased support and coordination amongst governments and institutions should be examined if Canada is going to achieve a greater gender balance within academia.”
Get the details: Female academics excluded from recognition and equal pay: study via www.theglobeandmail.com
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