In Italy, the ‘glass ceiling’ continues to hinder full gender equality in professional and academic careers. This is, unfortunately, not a new scenario: despite the fact that women are the majority in university education, they find it difficult to reach the highest levels of the professional and academic hierarchies.
In short, they set out with motivation only to be relegated to a second place (if not a third!) by default: this is the sad fate that, according to the statistics, women face in the professional world.
According to the latest report of the Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of the University and Research Systems (ANVUR) (2023), women represent 55% of first-year students and 66.9% of MSc graduates, but the percentage drops dramatically as they only account for 27% among professors and 12.1% among university rectors.
The problem is not limited to universities, but also extends to the workplace. According to the OECD report ‘Education at a Glance 2024‘, only 36% of women in Italy with less than upper secondary education are employed, compared to 72% of men. This gap falls to 47% and 72% respectively for the OECD average (the age group considered is between 25 and 34).
The most obvious gap is the gender pay gap: in Italy, young female graduates earn 58% less than men. This gap is all the more unfair given the better results achieved by women at school and university.
According to the Italian INPS Observatory on Private Sector Employees (December 2023), men earn on average about 8,000 euros more than women each year. It is also difficult for women to hold top positions, even if the latest Women’s Report by Manageritalia shows an increase in the number of female managers in Italy, which has almost doubled compared to 16 years ago. Women now account for 21.4% of managers, up from 12.2% in 2008, but they represent just over a fifth of all managers and in some sectors, such as education, their presence has fallen dramatically (-48%). Some progress has been made, but it is still limited!
And what about medical professionals? In Italy, 53% of health workers are women, but only 17% of them make it to the top.
The road to gender equality in work and pay is long and winding, at least according to the World Economic Forum, which predicts 132 more years of inequality given these rates. According to the data analysed, Italy is certainly not one of the most advanced countries in this respect.
The gap also affects pensions, of course: in Italy there is an average difference of 400 euros per month in pension allowances, which obviously favours men, with a gap of 30.1% (data from Eurostat, ‘Gender Pension Gap By Age Group ‒ EU-SILC survey 2024’).
We are happy to say that our University is a significant exception in this context: UniCamillus, the international university specialising in medical and health sciences, stands out for its inclusive and counter-cultural approach compared to the national average
An inclusive and gender-balanced environment
UniCamillus is strongly committed to ensuring gender equality among both administrative and academic staff: data from the latest gender budget shows a strong female presence among both professors, and technical and administrative staff.
The figures for 2023-2024 are also very clear:
- Professors. UniCamillus has seen a significant increase in the number of professors, with more than 100 members, and the number continues to grow. The composition is predominantly female: 57% women against 43% men. Although there is a slight male majority among professors (57% men vs. 43% women), the number of associate professors is 51% women and 49% men. The female predominance is also confirmed for fixed-term A-type researchers (63% women vs. 37% men), B-type researchers (75% women and 25% men) and tenure-track or RTT researchers (100% women).
As far as male professors are concerned, this trend seems to be more related to the generational aspect, as professors are almost all over 65, whilst women have started their academic careers more recently. That said, the percentage of female professors at UniCamillus is higher than the national average (43% compared to 27%).
- Technical and administrative staff. There has been a significant increase in recruitment in the last year, with 78.9% women, 63.2% of whom are under 35: this figure highlights the University’s ability to attract and retain young female talent.
- Student community. The student community is also growing: in 2024, UniCamillus has 3,219 students (compared to 2,800 the previous year), 64% of whom are women (compared to 36% men). This increase is a clear sign of an academic environment that not only welcomes the presence of women, but actively encourages it.
Towards an equal opportunities model
The figures and percentages we have just analysed are also the result of measures taken by the University to encourage women, particularly by making it easier to reconcile work and family life.
An example of this is the Baby Card for new mothers among students and staff, which allows them to skip the queue at the café and the Teaching services office, to have priority in exams and to use the Baby Pit Stop, a changing room with a very comfortable chair for breastfeeding.
As we keep our promises, another key point is the distribution of a Practical Guide for the Promotion of Inclusive Language to the whole academic community, which contains recommendations for the use of more inclusive language.
The UniCamillus Gender Budgeting, which is produced every autumn, is a fundamental tool for monitoring and improving the situation within the University, demonstrating that an inclusive working environment is possible. It is not only a question of ensuring the presence of women, but also of creating an environment in which women can work in peace, without having to choose between work and family life.