Denmark risks losing talent when the gender balance in research is skewed – particularly within science and engineering. New analyses uncover the reasons for women’s underrepresentation and point to potential solutions. DFIR presents up-to-date figures to strengthen the debate on how to achieve a more balanced research sector.
DFIRbrief 53: Gender Inequality: Denmark Is Losing Talent
Denmark needs the most capable research talent, but the uneven gender balance in academia limits the recruitment pool. Especially in science and engineering, the share of female researchers is low, and if current trends continue, gender parity at the professor level will not be achieved until after 2080.
Although women are more often hired through open competition than men, they are less likely to apply for positions – particularly in technical and scientific fields. In addition, many positions are filled without an open call, which can reinforce existing imbalances.
There are multiple structural, institutional, and cultural factors that help explain the gender gap in research. Women more often take on administrative tasks that do not necessarily advance their careers, and university culture can be experienced as exclusionary, influencing their career choices.
