Women scientists struggle to climb the career ladder

Citation

(2003), "Women scientists struggle to climb the career ladder", Career Development International, Vol. 8 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cdi.2003.13708aab.002

Women scientists struggle to climb the career ladder

Women scientists struggle to climb the career ladder

Swiss women from less privileged backgrounds have fewer chances of a successful scientific career as they have a smaller network of contacts than their more affluent peers.

A study reveals that most teachers and researchers at Swiss universities are male, and come mainly from higher social classes. Only 7 per cent of professors are women, although the number of women graduates has risen in all subjects in the last few years.

Only half as many female graduates as male graduates study for a doctorate. The largest gap is in the traditional sciences, such as biology and chemistry. Women are more equally represented in such traditionally male areas as physics, mathematics and engineering.

Further information is available by e-mailing pri@snf.ch or by telephoning 00 41 31 308 2222.