The network EWORA (European Women Rectores Association), met on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 May at the University of Malmö (Sweden) to address different challenges in the area of equality policies, after identifying the great disparity shared within the European continent.

The challenge of STEMs in a digital world

In a growing digital world, gender inequality across the continent in the academic areas known as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) was defined as the "European tragedy" by Virginija Langbakk, director of EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality), an autonomous body of the European Union set up to contribute to the promotion of gender equality.

The problem of the traditional stereotyped role in higher education, and the related gender bias in teaching by discipline, were also highlighted by the Vice-President of the China Women's Leadership Academy, Zou Xiadqiao.

The vice-rector of Occupation and Training Programmes of the Universitat de València, Adela Valero, who also participated in this Conference, commented on the different programmes carried out by our university to break this bias, and announced a specific programme with this objective that is currently in the design process.

Entrepreneurship, employment and glass ceiling

The challenges of entrepreneurship and overcoming glass ceilings were also discussed at this EWORA meeting. Along these lines, Vice-rector Adela Valero highlighted the important effort made in this area in the MOTIVEM program of the Universitat de València, which this Wednesday awards its prizes and in this edition has a 60% participation of women, and the rector of the Universitat de València, Mavi Mestre, highlighted the important effort made in this key area for innovation by both faculty and students.

Different participants pointed out that, in universities, as the academic career progresses, the number of women in higher positions is reduced, as well as in academic positions. This glass ceiling was described by both EWORA President Gulsun Saglamer, former Rector of Istanbul Polytechnic University, and the President of the World Forum of Women University Presidents, Liu Jinan.

Nevertheless, the rector of the University of Leipzig highlighted the growth of the incorporation of women to the top positions of the academic career, insisting on what it is a question of political culture to advance towards an equal society.

In this progress in the responsibilities assumed by women, the rector of the Portuguese Chatolic University Isabel Capeloa, presented a study of her centre on technology and leadership that showed that in terms of occupation, and the university is no exception, women were less prepared than men to present themselves to assume higher positions.

The rector of the Universitat de València, Mavi Mestre, remarked that, as she has pointed out on numerous occasions, it is necessary to create the conditions to empower women, to "dare to make it possible, to assume superior positions", but also insisting on the need for the existence of policies linked to the conciliation of professional, family and personal life with work that do not penalise women in a society in which there is still a strong bias in the burden of family and social responsibilities associated with women.

Along these lines, Marcela Linkova, president of ERAC SWG GRI, the former Helsinki group on Gender in Research and Innovation, pointed out the need to review the indicators used to measure progress in research and innovation, incorporating a gender perspective. This demand of the Spanish rectors was recently collected by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities in its last call.

Diversity and Inclusive University

Rianne Letschert, rector of the University of Maastricht, stressed the importance of making a diverse and inclusive university, where talent matters, highlighting that "diversity does not automatically lead to inclusion".

For the rector of the Universitat de València, Mavi Mestre, the promotion of these policies is fundamental, and stressed that ours is the first university in Spain by number of students with disabilities, highlighting the significant effort of advice and support made by the Unit for the Integration of People with Disabilities of our University which on May 3 received a new award in recognition of its 'Social Action': the one granted by the Committee of Entities Representatives of Persons with Disabilities (CERMI CV).

Our rector also stressed the importance of collaboration with public authorities to strengthen the action of these policies that have to be cross-cutting throughout society, giving as examples diversitats the equality program in diversity of the Universitat de València developed with the Valencian Government as well as the agreement to support women victims of gender-based #Myviolència.

Award to Pedro Sánchez, President of the Spanish Government

In the course of this meeting of European women rectors, EWORA presented its annual prize, which in the 2019 edition was awarded to the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, in recognition of the effort in equality exemplified in the high number of women incorporated into its first government, currently acting.

The award was presented by the president of EWORA, Gulsun Saglamer, and the Minister for Higher Education and Research of the Swedish government, Matilda Ernkrans, and was collected by the acting Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque.

Upon arrival at the University of Malmö the minister was received by the Spanish ambassador to Sweden, Gabriel Busquets, the president of EWORA, the rector of the University of Malmö, Kerstin Tham, and the rector of the Universitat de València, Mª Vicenta Mestre.