In previous blog posts, we have commented how the government's research bill 2020 affects the balance between education and research and dimensioning of postgraduate education. In this post, we continue to reason about the research bill, but now about a topic that has been unexpectedly absent, namely gender equality and sexual harassment.
The higher education sector has long had gender equality problems. Although 60% of undergraduate students are women, slightly fewer women than men start postgraduate education. 80% of the professors are men. It is clear that something prevents women from staying in academia. Compared with the rest of Europe, gender equality within the Swedish university is mediocre (see figure).
Figure: Proportion (per cent) of women among the research and teaching staff and among professors in a number of selected countries in 2016. (From UKÄ annual report 2020. Original source ETER.)
To address this, the universities have for a long time had recruitment goals so that the proportion of professors will be more evenly distributed between women and men. The universities have also had an assignment on gender mainstreaming, which is about them analyzing and implementing the activities with regard to how they affect gender equality. There is a lot left to do. The goal must be for gender equality work at Swedish higher education institutions to be at the forefront in Europe.
The government already announced last autumn that both the recruitment goals and gender mainstreaming will remain. Admittedly, this is good, but given the discussions of recent years, many had expected an increase in ambition.
An important part of gender equality work is about actively preventing sexual harassment. Sexual harassment received a lot of attention with the metoo autumn of 2017. It was mobilized within the university through the academy appeal. This led to the University and College Council being commissioned to map the higher education institutions' preventive work against sexual harassment in the academy, which was presented in a investigation report. The Swedish Research Council also produced an international research compilation on sexual harassment, which can be read here. It has contributed to the image that the academic culture is characterized by norms and practices that affect women and benefit men.
The risk of being subjected to sexual harassment is particularly high among those who are in a position of dependence, for example in the relationship between students and supervisors, or newly graduated researchers within a research group. Doctoral students are highlighted as particularly vulnerable.
It is strange that the research bill does not show any ambitions in this area. Admittedly, the government is investing in a research program against crime, which includes sexual harassment. In the long run, it is important, but it will be some time before the new research has an impact on the universities' preventive work. In the coming years, the work against sexual harassment must not stop or return to the same shortcomings as before 2017.
The government can still raise expectations of higher education institutions. It can instruct higher education institutions to prioritize the prevention of sexual harassment. There are also several authorities that could provide support and contribute to the development.
Linn Svärd, Vice Chairman of SFS