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Towards equality in science: European and French contexts and actions

Towards equality in science: European and French contexts and actions. Claudine Hermann claudine.hermann@epws.org Honorary Professor of Physics at Ecole Polytechnique, France President of honor of the French Femmes & Sciences association (Women and Science) www.femmesetsciences.fr

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Towards equality in science: European and French contexts and actions

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  1. Towards equality in science: European and French contexts and actions Claudine Hermann claudine.hermann@epws.org Honorary Professor of Physics at Ecole Polytechnique, France President of honor of the French Femmes & Sciences association (Women and Science) www.femmesetsciences.fr President of the European Platform of Women Scientists EPWS www.epws.org ED SDSV Versailles 04/04 /2019

  2. My personal experience • Nowadays research: common facts among countries • Situation of women scientists: a few national examples (France, Germany, Portugal) • The European Union and women scientists • The European Platform of Women Scientists - EPWS

  3. My personal experience

  4. 1945 C.Hermann, professional • bac - CPGE 1965 • ENS de Jeunes Filles • lecturer at ENS 1969 1976 • PhD • USA 1980 • assistant professor at École Polytechnique • professor at École Polytechnique 1992 1998 2000 2005 • retired

  5. Nowadays research: common facts among countries • Model of excellence in research inspired by that of USA • Similar national problems for women scientists’ hiring or promotion(« biological clock», « leaking pipeline », « glass ceiling »..) • (Lecturers-) researchers evaluated on their research activity. What about the other tasks (teaching, administration, science dissemination…) ? • Imbalance between women and men in research decision positions.

  6. Women scientists’ situation: a few national examples • France • Germany • Portugal

  7. France 1. Situation of French women • notable fertility rate • daycare systems for young children • law on parity in politics… • but quotas are unpopular (universalism) 2. Higher education « Grandes écoles » and universities 3. Permanent positions in research Public research (civil servants hired in their early thirties) and R&D in the private sector

  8. France 4. Women in research • 34%of women in public research

  9. France: Higher Education Percentage of women (2016)

  10. Women at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) (2017) • 35% of the researchers are women (CR: 38%, DR: 29%) • 46% of the engineers, 65% of the technical and administrative staff are women • Extremely slow increase of the percentage of women among researchers

  11. Pourcentage de femmes parmi les professeurs d’université (PR) et les maîtres de conférences (MCF) en Santé et en Sciences en France de 1980 à 2016 Percentage of women among university professors (PR) and assistant professors (MCF) in Health (Santé) and Science in France (1980-2016)

  12. Promotion hope?

  13. France 4. Women in research • 34 % of women among public researchers Slow progress in universities, stability at CNRS • Structures in favour of women scientists *Missions for Parity: ministry of Research & CNRS (2001) +… *Committee for professional equality in Higher Education and Research • Gender studies *Institut Emilie du Châtelet (Paris region, 2006) *recognition of this scientific field later than in other countries • 2013 law on Higher Education and Research *Equal opportunities officers in universities *Balanced women/men representation in committees

  14. The French association Femmes & Sciences (Women and Science) Mission statement: • to improve the position of women in science, both in public and private sectors, • to promote a positive image of science among women and of women in science, - to encourage more girls and boys entering science.

  15. Germany • Burden of History: • Bismarck and the 3K« Kinder, Küche, Kirche » (children, kitchen, church) • 3rd Reich 2. Science operation: • Slow higher education studies until Doktorarbeit • Compulsory geographical mobility until Habilitation

  16. Germany 3. Women situation • Previous situations in the Western (FRG) and Eastern (DRG) parts • Lack of child care, school only in the morning =>Dilemma between family and career • More recent issues « Rabenmutter » (cruel mother) + low women fertility rate =>Angela Merkel: modified parental leave, additional creches « Gebärmaschinen » (prolific child-bearer)!

  17. Germany 4. Structures/measures for womenscientists 37% womenresearchers in highereducation(2012) • actions since the 1990's • women in the universitiesrecruitmentcommittees • Centre for Excellence Women in Science (support for womenscientists) 5. Equality label • Over 10 years, 100 laureates, • from the public or privatesector

  18. Germany -Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the structure financing research in higher education and public institutions: *In 2008 declaration of its members committing themselves on «  The DFG’s research-oriented standards on gender equality », with both structural and personal aspects. *In 2014 : « Tool box » with examples of good practises for gender equality -German universities: Professorinnenprogramm, financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), for hiring new women professors. *2008-2012 : 150M€, 260 new women professors hired *Programme renewed for 2012-2017 with the same financing * To apply such a programme the university must evidence a successful concept of gender equality

  19. Portugal • 49% women researchers in higher education (2012) • But they are not satisfied with their career

  20. The European Union and women scientists • European structures • Directorate General Research of the EuropeanCommission • European Platform of Women Scientists - EPWS

  21. European Council of the 27 heads of state or of government European structures European Commission 20 commissioners appointed for 5 years European Parliament 626 Members (MEPs) elected for 5 years DG Education, DG Research… Council of the European Union the 27 relevant ministers

  22. European Council of the 28 heads of state or of government European structures European Commission 20 commissioners appointed for 5 years European Parliament 626 Members (MEPs) elected for 5 years DG Education, DG Research… Council of the European Union the 28 relevant ministers

  23. The European Union (EU) and women scientists • Equality between women and men: one of EU main « pilars » according to Amsterdam Treaty (1997) • Need of scientific workforce: Lisbon and Barcelona objectives for 2010 • Europe 2020 : competitivity based on Research and Innovation => Declarations and activities on Women and Science

  24. The Women and Science issue at DG Research • A devoted unit: « Women and Science » (1998-2006), « Scientific Culture and Gender Issues» (2006-2010), « Ethics and Gender » (2011- ), Gender sector inside B6 Unit • A group of national civil servants: the Helsinki Group (lobbying at institutional level), now included in another DG Research structure • Activities: *Statistics She Figures issued every third year *Reports on « Women and Science » (public and private) *EU projects calls and « Gender Watch System  » *European Platform of Women Scientists - EPWS (lobbying at associations and networks levels)

  25. Some European data(all disciplines) • (She Figures 2018) • « Hit parade » of women professors • « Scissors diagramme » • Gender-disaggregated statistics for academia

  26. All disciplines From She Figures2018

  27. She Figures 2018

  28. Which actions? *equality of treatment *positive discrimination *gendermainstreaming

  29. Fair selection ? ETAN Report 2000

  30. « Women and/in Science » at DG Research (1999-2019) Successive policies • Sensitise science community to women issues • Change women • Change institutions (« Structural Changes ») Currently 3 objectives • Women participation • Women/men balance in decision positions • Gender dimension inresearch

  31. A Belgian non-profit international association (AISBL) • Members: networks (+ individuals), from public and private sectors, all disciplines, over Europe • Mission and Goals • www.epws.org

  32. The European Platform of Women Scientists

  33. Research-policy activities Lunchtime debate at the European Parliament, Brussels, 6/9/2017

  34. Networking EPWS Full members interviews booklet EPWS Updates every second month Young EPWS Facebook Group Yearly brainstormingmeeting of the EPWS French members

  35. Conclusion • Variety of national situations in spite of many common points • Progress everywhere but more actions needed • Essential impetus of the EuropeanUnion • Political and associativeapproaches are mutually complementary

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