by The Ministry of Science and Innovation has published this Wednesday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the report ‘Women Scientists in Figures 2023’, which shows the current situation of the participation and leadership of women researchers and scientists in universities, Public Research Organizations and companies in Spain.
According to the data in the report, the percentage of female researchers continues to increase and now represents 42% of the research staff in Spain, while in the business sector female researchers represent 31%.
Regarding the presence of women in decision-making positions, women increased three points in university rector positions and only represented 25%. For their part, 50% of Public Research Organizations have women as director or president.
At the academic level, they represent more than 70% in undergraduate studies in Health Sciences, while, in the field of Engineering and Architecture, only one in four students are women. In recent years, the age at which women scientists finish their doctoral studies has increased. In the Higher Education sector, women choose the area of Engineering and technology by 12.2%, when in 2016 18.7% of them chose it.
In R&D, the proportion of women continues to grow
Regarding participation in R&D projects, the proportion of women has continued to grow, both in applications and in concessions. On the other hand, in the calls of the European Research Council, the success rate of women is higher than that of men.
The report –the latest edition of a series of publications that began in 2007– delves into the advances and setbacks in the gender gap in R+D+I. According to the Minister for Science and Innovation, Diana Morant, Spain is “an international benchmark in progress in gender equality” and has stated that the Government is developing a roadmap to move “towards a more egalitarian, prosperous and sustainable society”.
In this sense, he has indicated that a just and efficient transformation will only be achieved if it is possible to “attract and retain the scientific talent of women”. “Knowing the diagnosis to get the treatment right is a fundamental step in the ambitious work that we carry out from the Ministry to advance towards effective gender equality in our National System of Science, Technology and Innovation”, Morant assured.
The minister has also remarked that the new Law on Science, Technology and Innovation incorporates concrete measures to curb inertia, revolutionize customs and change realities from self-demand.
