The number of female professors is still at a low level. Only every fifth professor is a woman, and they are in minority in nearly all subject areas. The distribution of the sexes is the most uneven in mathematics and technical science; only six and ten percent respectively are female professors. These are the latest findings of new statistics from Swedish National Agency for Higher Education and Statistics Sweden.
The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education and Statistics Sweden have looked at the staff situation in higher education in 2008. Last year nearly 63 000 persons were employed at universities and institutes of higher education in Sweden. This is one fourth of all government staff. Staff who teach and do research has increased somewhat and amounts to about 28 000 persons, excluding doctoral students. Gothenburg University has the most employees in teaching and research, or 2 300 full-time persons. Lund and Uppsala Universities follow.
Many teachers and researchers lack permanent employment
New information shows that every third teacher and researcher has a temporary position. The proportion is three times higher in medicine, 49 percent, than in mathematics, 17 percent. Also in natural science, a large proportion of persons had temporary employment, or 40 percent. Of the men, 30 percent had a temporary position. The corresponding figure for women was 38 percent.
More professors - but uneven distribution of the sexes remains
Since 2007 the number of professors has increased three percent and accounts for nearly 20 percent of staff who are teachers and researchers. In total, the distribution among the sexes in higher education is even with 51 percent women and 49 percent men. But as for professors, women are still in minority, 19 percent. This is an increase of just one percent compared to last year. Among lecturers however, the distribution of the sexes is more even, and 40 percent are now women.
Lowest percentage within the technology area
The distribution of the sexes is uneven within all research areas except other research areas where 53 percent are women. This area mainly includes healthcare sciences. In mathematics and technical sciences however, there are very few female professors, or six and ten percent respectively. In the humanities and theology, the situation is somewhat better, or 28 percent.