×
We are eager to improve this site, feel free to give us some Feedback
GenPORT is funded by the European Union FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2012-1 programme. Login Register
Digital Document (pdf, doc, ppt, txt, etc.)
About (English version):
How will industrial research companies in the European Union find the talent they need to meet the competitive and technological challenges of the 21st Century? How will they enlarge R&D capacity when there are already shortages of highly qualified industrial researchers? This study is part of the new EU initiative to promote Women in Industrial Research (WIR). Based on statistical data and examples of good practice in Europe it gives information about the real situation of women in industrial research. For the first time official data from the European RandD survey and the European Labour Force Survey have been examined. Although the study confirms that women are underrepresented among industrial researchers, especially at senior levels, it provides encouraging perspectives by showing that the private research sector has recently begun to recruit more highly qualified young women
How will industrial research companies in the European Union find the talent they need to meet the competitive and technological challenges of the 21st Century? How will they enlarge R&D capacity when there are already shortages of highly qualified industrial researchers? This report has the answer: women need to be far more effectively attracted into, retained within and promoted in science, engineering and technology in the private sector. There are already thousands of well-qualified women in the EU whose talents are not being used. To make the most of this opportunity demands organisational and cultural change on the part of industrial research companies backed by governments' proving appropriate framework conditions. This report comes from companies in industrial research from Europe and North America who are leading the way in opening up both laboratories and boardrooms to women. They draw on their own and others' experiences as well as new analyses of statistics and research. Prepared at the request of the European Commission, the report offers a blueprint for making the most of the under-utilised half of the talent pool, while providing women with the opportunity and excitement of contributing to innovation and creativity through careers in industrial research. - The European Union wants to increase spending on R&D - Industrial research companies are already facing a shortage of qualified researchers - Women are obvious the untapped resource - Organisational and cultural change is needed to attract, retain and promote women better - Younger people are demanding a better work/life balance - Governments need to provide the right framework conditions - Concerted action is needed to make industrial research more competitive
Since the 1990s, an analysis of senior university staff reveals that women are underrepresented on scientific decision–making boards in almost all European countries. For this reason, the European Commission has invited an independent expert group, namely, the expert group on Women In Research Decision Making (WIRDEM) to identify and review positive actions and gender equality measures at institutional and national level to promote women into senior positions in public research. In the course of one year of fruitful research, the WIRDEM expert group produced the homonymous report which examines and describes in detail nomination procedures, obstacles, facts and funding limitations that women need to overcome in their academic careers. It reviews the procedures for evaluating and promoting research personnel to senior positions and identifies examples of good practice at national and institutional levels. Based on this analysis, the report proposes recommendations to facilitate the design of a framework for better targeted actions at European level, and highlights the problem of poor awareness and visibility. It clearly shows that transparent and fair evaluation and promotion procedures alone are not sufficient to improve gender balance in research decision-making; a change of culture is required. The experts therefore also make suggestions as to how the prevailing scientific culture could change to become more inclusive
