International Women’s Day: On the glass ceiling (and whether it really exists)

On 8 March, it is International Women’s Day. With women making up 52% of our  staff members, our university seems to be doing exceptionally well in that respect. However, there is a caveat: eight out of ten staff members in the highest academic ranks are still men. ‘How can you advance as a woman? The first step is to talk about your ambitions.’

If we want to strive for excellence as a university, a healthy gender balance and diversity are essential, states Quentin Callens of Team Diversity & Inclusion. ‘In both research and teaching, diversity increases quality. It enhances creativity, innovation and the variety of perspectives. In addition, as a university, we naturally prioritise equal opportunities and social justice.’

Looking at our university’s performance in terms of gender equality, the predominance of women in the student population stands out. This trend has been going on for years, and it continues to grow. In the past academic year, women accounted for 58.2% of all students, as compared to 53.3% in 2013/2014. Among PhD students, the balance is relatively equal.

‘As we move up the academic ladder, however, the proportion of women declines’, notes Quentin. ‘Whereas 44.2% of all lecturers are women, the share drops to 22.4% among full professors. In 2014, this was only 14.9% – so there’s an upward trend.’ That the gap is narrowing is also demonstrated by a nice first: in 2021, for the first time, more women than men were appointed as ZAP members (55% versus 45%), a phenomenon that was repeated in 2024 (55.6% versus 44.4%).

Gender distribution among ZAP (and full professors)

• 2013-2014: 22% (full professors: 14.9%)
• 2018-2019: 24% (full professors: 20.5%)
• 2023-2024: 30% (full professors: 22.4%)

‘The over-representation of men in senior ranks is partly a legacy of the past’, Quentin explains. ‘Because academics don’t become professors until later in their careers, feminisation evolves slowly. However, there’s more to it than that: women academics are simply less likely to advance. It seems unlikely that unconscious discrimination is not playing any role in this regard. It’s therefore up to us to analyse this and, most importantly, to do something about it.’

Is there a glass ceiling?

Vice-Rectors Nathalie Dens and Chris Van Ginneken have their doubts. ‘That there are far more men than women working at the highest academic level does not necessarily mean that women have fewer opportunities. We also see more men at the top in business. The question is why this is so. Might women simply have less appetite for that kind of position?’

At our university, women are always given every opportunity. ‘The fact remains, however, that women take on more caring responsibilities. This makes it a challenge to combine work and family – even for me’, notes Nathalie. She is nevertheless aware that, as a ZAP member, she enjoys a great deal of freedom. ‘We can determine our own work schedules to a large extent, which is certainly not the case in a nine-to-five job.’

Both strongly support gender diversity in teams. Chris says ‘It’s a cliché, but women and men think differently. If for no other reason, it’s good to have men and women in every team. It ensures a variety of perspectives – without getting involved in pigeon-holing. In the end, we are all individuals.’

Women in science

Do women academics have to overcome additional hurdles? Els Du Bois, research professor in the Faculty of Design Sciences and head of the REuse-Lab, chooses her words carefully. ‘As a young mother, gaining research experience abroad isn’t self-evident, but it’s a selection criterion in the appointment of professors. Be that as it may, I wasn’t personally judged on that.’

In the past, she occasionally encountered sexist remarks or situations where a male professor was the only one in the group who didn’t shake her hand. ‘Without wanting to stigmatize that group, it was usually an older colleague. For the younger generation, it doesn’t matter whether you are a man or a woman.’

As recently as February, Els was one of the faces of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

‘As long as initiatives like that are still needed, I’m happy to help. More and more women are choosing science, but you still see mostly men in the highest positions’, she observes.

She personally feels that women have an edge in some areas. ‘In my research, I’m mainly concerned with sustainability and recycling. Making the transition to a sustainable society requires solving a complex puzzle and having an eye for the common good of society. Those are areas in which women are very strong.’

Not just now

Nele Hillewaere, faculty director, Applied Engineering (FTI), experiences our university as a women-friendly institution. ‘We offer a warm working environment for everyone. Well-being and ambition are not mutually exclusive, and for those who want it, there’s room to take a break from focusing on career growth. If we continue to do so, we’ll eventually see diversity in all ranks.’

At FTI, only three out of thirty professors are women. Nele: ‘It starts with the student intake, where only 12% of students are currently women. We’re trying to boost that figure, partly by advancing women as role models and emphasising that engineers can also find a place in soft sectors, such as healthcare or sustainability.’

Her advice to women looking to move up the ladder? ‘Talk about it, with both colleagues and supervisors. This will bring your dream a lot closer and get your ambitions out into the open. You’ll also receive feedback, which is very important. Don’t doubt yourself; just follow your ambition.’

Promoting diversity

In the meantime, our university has been making considerable efforts to promote gender diversity. Back in 2014, an initial action plan was rolled out for this purpose. Over the years, numerous supporting measures have been introduced.

Quentin continues, ‘In doing so, we’ve been focusing more and more on diversity in general, and therefore also in terms of ideology, socio-economic status, ethnic background and other factors. We look for solutions that benefit everyone.’

This manifests itself in a variety of initiatives. Examples include training on coping with inappropriate behaviour, training on recruitment and selection, free menstrual supplies in the restrooms, tools for gender-inclusive communication, a policy paper on family-friendly meetings, and tips on inclusive education. We also have very concrete measures, such as the possibility of working from home and flexible working hours, in addition to making it easier for women and men to combine family and career.

Our university has also had gender quotas for the highest advisory boards for years, with a maximum of two-thirds of members allowed to be the same sex. In Nathalie’s opinion, this cuts both ways: ‘In itself, the measure is women-friendly, but it does mean that, as a professor and woman, you’re very often asked to serve on such boards – whereas you’re ultimately evaluated on your research.’

There is also an increasing focus on inclusiveness from Europe, according to Samantha Brunt from the Diversity team. ‘Research-funding bodies are increasingly encouraging scientists to look through an inclusion lens, sometimes through training early in their research careers. How do you assemble your research team? Which group is your research about? A diverse approach leads to higher quality, as it ensures that the results are applicable to the broader society.’

Continued attention

Our university currently has a new diversity policy plan for students and staff in the pipeline, which will be officially presented on 1 April during the Policy Day on Diversity & Inclusion. At the event, you will be able to participate in workshops and roundtable discussions. ‘We aim for a university where everyone feels at home, with the slogan: Diversity as an asset, inclusion as a norm’, says Nathalie, who has been working on the plan as part of her Social Engagement responsibilities.

The key here is to draw continued attention to the issue. For example, on March 6, there will be a screening of an Indian film on the position of women in society. There was also a workshop on the supportive role that men play in the inclusion of women in our society.

Quentin knows that an optimistic approach works better than a raised finger. ‘Our message is not that sexism is rampant at our university, but that it still exists. The question here isn’t who’s to blame, but rather: how can we change that?’

Has this article inspired you to be more mindful of gender (or other forms of) diversity? Be sure to browse the wide range of training courses, webinars and workshops on the topic, or join one of the academic networks to connect with other researchers.

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