| dc.description.abstract | When the European Commission published its first She Figures report in 2003, women were significantly under-represented among PhD graduates, researchers and at the highest echelons of the academic career, and they were a minority on scientific boards.
The She Figures 2018 publication is a testimony to the progress achieved over the past years through a wide range of actions and policies. For example, Horizon 2020 supports research organisations who promote active change through gender equality plans. We have also reached our targets in the Horizon 2020 decision-making bodies: women now make up 55% of our advisory boards and 41% of our evaluation experts. It is my firm intention to continue these efforts in our next Framework Programme, Horizon Europe, to help accelerate the progress towards gender equality in research and innovation.
She Figures 2018 paints a picture of overall improvement in the EU, suggesting that efforts are starting to pay off. Today, women are actually a majority among PhD graduates. The proportion of women in the senior academic ranks has also been on the increase in Europe and the EU has established itself as world leader in integrating the gender dimension in research.
There is progress but it is slow. And we still have a long way to go to achieve full gender equality. For example, our data shows that women innovators are few and far in between. We cannot sit back and assume that having planted the seeds of gender equality, the positive trends will continue. As the past has shown us, gender inequality does not fix itself. What we need is a complete cultural change, which requires systematic and coordinated actions, education and strong political commitment by all actors involved. We have to keep an open mind and learn from other sectors that have gone before us. For instance, if voluntary targets do not deliver the results we need, it could be time to take a serious look at quotas for management positions in universities.
Gender equality is not only a matter of concern for women; it must matter to all of us. If we want to take scientific excellence to the next level; if we want to deliver science-based solutions to the many urgent and pressing global challenges, we need all talents in play. There is still a long and bumpy road ahead of us but every single step we take is worth it. We can shatter the glass ceiling, we can fix the system that keep women from developing their talents fully. I therefore invite you all to act as ambassadors of change to close the gender gap. Together, we will succeed. | en_US |
