Gender Equality Report

What is it for?

The Gender Equality Report is one of the tools through which the University of Bologna observes the impact of its policies, and measures, over time, the gap between declared principles and the real conditions experienced by those who study and work at the University. It is not just a snapshot: it is a knowledge base that helps identify imbalances, check progress and guide more effective action.

It stems from the awareness that equity is not limited to intentions, but requires tools capable of bringing continuities, gaps and critical issues to light. In this sense, the Gender Equality Report gives concrete form to the University’s commitment. On the one hand, it documents initiatives, services and investments put in place to promote equity, inclusion and action against discrimination; on the other, it shows where action is needed with greater continuity and precision.

Key evidence emerging from the 2025 Report

The picture outlined by the 2025 Report shows signs of improvement, but also gaps that still significantly affect University life.

Women perform better in education, but their presence declines in academic careers

Female students consistently account for around 57% of the enrolled population and, overall, achieve better academic results. However, this presence is not maintained in subsequent steps: among second cycle/two-year master's degree graduates, women account for 58%, while at entry to doctoral programmes the figure falls to 47%. This is one of the clearest signs that the leaky pipeline persists, i.e. the progressive reduction in the female component along the academic pathway.

Imbalances between disciplines emerge earlier and are confirmed in education

Horizontal segregation remains significant. Male presence continues to prevail in STEM disciplines, while female presence is concentrated mainly in the humanities, the arts and education. The Report highlights that this distribution does not originate within the University, but is shaped earlier on, in the expectations, orientations and stereotypes that influence educational choices.

Improvements in careers, but imbalances in top roles

The picture shows gradual progress, but it is not yet sufficient. In 2024, female full professors accounted for 31% of the total, up from 2020, and the Glass Ceiling index fell from 1.43 to 1.31. This figure points to a reduction in vertical segregation, but also confirms that the imbalance remains visible especially at the highest levels of the career path.

In research, the contribution of women and men appears much closer

Unlike what emerges in other areas, in research the picture is more balanced. Participation in competitive projects, the amount of funding and international collaborations show limited gender differences. This is an important finding, because it indicates that the imbalances observed elsewhere are not reflected in the quality or intensity of scientific contributions.

After graduation, better academic results do not translate into the same opportunities

One of the most critical aspects concerns the transition to work. The Report shows that female graduates, despite achieving better academic results on average, face less favourable conditions on the job market: more precarious employment, greater use of part-time work and lower pay than their male counterparts. Five years after graduation, the average pay gap between employed second level graduates is 277 euros net per month to the disadvantage of women.

Care responsibilities continue to fall mainly on women

A significant asymmetry persists at an organisational level as well. The Report points to greater use by women of leave, permits and absences linked to childcare and family care, among both academic staff and technical and administrative staff. This finding highlights the need for more effective policies to share care responsibilities and for fairer work-life balance.

A document that supports action

The Gender Equality Report is part of a complex framework of tools and initiatives that the University puts in place to promote equity: from the Positive Action Plan to the Gender Equality Plan, through to support services, learning activities, awareness-raising campaigns and internal and external collaboration networks.

In particular, the Report provides a valuable source of information for defining the measures to be included in the Gender Equality Plan, which translates analyses into lines of action aimed at delivering tangible improvement. It is not a question of setting out principles in the abstract, but of scrutinising the data closely, identifying the outstanding issues and devising progressive, verifiable and consistent measures over time.