International Women's Day
This year we're highlighting some of the inequalities female academics are facing and asking people to support within our Engage community.
This International Women’s Day, we understand the world is more challenging for everyone than it has ever been, and we know that these challenges disproportionately affect women.
With women often taking on more caring responsibilities and struggling to keep their career on track as well as juggle home life and other responsibilities.
Stepping up to help level up
As a publisher, we’ve seen a decline in research from female researchers in early-stage roles during the pandemic and we hope, those that can, will offer support. So, we’re stepping up to help level up...
We’ve created a support network, through our Engage community, to help researchers to get through these difficult times. It’s a safe space for you to hear how others are coping, make connections, share ideas and buddy up with more established researchers, who are able to share experiences, advice and practical tools.
#SteppingUpToLevelUp is about making connections via our Engage Community and providing you with the tools and to help you through these challenging times. Sign up to gain access to expert advice, research, podcasts and more.
Join Engage, our community for researchers & start the conversation
Engage will help you to make the most of global connections with scholars around the globe, to link with others who have experienced similar struggles, made it through and have the knowledge and expertise to offer advice.
Meet our buddies
We have recruited several established academic professionals who are ready and waiting on the Engage platform to answer your questions and provide real-life experiences. There’s also lots of practical tools, guidance and support from Emerald Works, free-access to relevant Emerald research for a limited time, as well as resources from other partners.
What is Emerald Engage?
Emerald Engage is a closed, global community platform for people who work within academia to join and where conversations are tailored to your needs, role and areas of interest. You can also answer polls and surveys to help us find out how we can help you and make sure we provide you with the relevant tools, resources and connections to support you throughout your career. Engage is a community for you so if there’s something else you’d like to see on the community – let us know at [email protected]
If you’d like to join, or find out more, visit the community.
In numbers – the challenges of women in academia
Stepping up to level up
This International Women’s Day, we understand the world is more challenging for everyone than it has ever been, and we know that these challenges disproportionately affect women. With women often taking on more caring responsibilities and struggling to keep their career on track as well as juggle home life and other responsibilities. Download infographic as PDF
| 45% | Of women account for 45% of the academic workforce in universities, but only hold 20% of professorships |
| 75% | Of women account for 75% of people working in academia… However… the amount of men in senior positions is nearly double the amount of women |
| 68% | Of women are thinking of leaving academia due to culture practices and pressure, compared to 57% of men (Time for change report))1 |
| 1 in 4 | Female researchers say lack of a support network is the main pressure of academic life today (Time for change report)1 |
| 63% | Of women feel a pressure to publish research ;(Time for change report)1 |
| 34% | Of women feel their institution provides equal opportunities compared to 45% of men (Time for change report)1 |
Exactly how has the covid pandemic affected women in early career researcher roles?
It has been found that the pandemic has benefited men’s publishing, and yet had a statistically significant negative effect for women in three of the four main research areas: health and medicine, physical sciences and engineering, and social science and economics. (Inside Higher Ed.com)2
| 12% | Women make up only 12% of the authors of new COVID-19-related research (nature.com)3 |
| 35% | There has been a 35% decline in research from women in early career research roles during the COVID-19 pandemic – but this figure has risen for males |
| 70% | Of women who have experienced disruption to their daily and work lives due to the pandemic believe it will have a negative impact on their career growth |
When it comes to work/life balance, women in academia are feeling the strain
| 24% | Of women feel their institution takes action to ensure there is a work/life balance compared of 30.5% of men (Time for change report)1 |
| 13% | Of women feel their institution’s culture was having a negative impact on their mental health – almost double that of men at 6.5% (Time for change report)1 |
However, we can help to be part of the solution
Join us as we step up and help to provide a support system on our Emerald Engage platform to provide Early Career Researchers with the opportunity to connect with those in established academic role.
| 86% | Of mentees believe their mentor relationship had a measurable impact on their professional growth (Workplace Equity Report)4 |
| 68% | Of mentors believe their relationship had some measurable impact on their mentees professional growth (Workplace Equity Report)4 |
