Universities have too few women at the top

The Guardian 30 March 2018

Universities are falling behind government targets to increase female representation on their boards by 2020. They need to take action now, writes Jenny Tester for The Guardian.

Female representation in FTSE 100 companies is woefully low. The picture is sadly no different in universities, which have been set a target of 40% female representation on boards by 2020 in England. In Scotland, all public boards, including universities, were recently asked to comprise 50% women by 2020. Yet at present women make up just 36% of boards and chair just 19% of them across the United Kingdom.

Diversifying boards matters because a range of perspectives, expertise and experiences strengthen their effectiveness, combating unconscious bias and ‘groupthink’. It also helps inspire a future generation from diverse backgrounds to get involved. As universities widen participation to students from different socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities and geographical regions, it’s important that governing bodies mirror their diversity.
Full report on The Guardian site

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