While women outnumber men in postdoctoral positions, they remain a minority in permanent academic positions, in particular in professorial positions (see the UNIL gender equality statistics). Studies reveal that a major factor leading women to leave academia is their lack of integration and of formal and informal support structures during the postdoctoral phase (Leeman & Stutz, 2008, p.3).
Through workshops and individual mentoring, PROWD Academic career aims to offer women planning to apply for a professorship detailed information on recruiting procedures, advice on the different stages of the application process and on academic career in general, and answers to specific questions many women have about the difficulties related to their experiences and their profile. It also aims to provide opportunities for exchange between participants.
With a particular emphasis on the specific issues and difficulties female academics may encounter, PROWD Academic career complements the workshops and activities offered by the Graduate Campus, which PROWD participants are encouraged to follow as well:
- Academic Career: Demands, Expectations and Preparation
- Creating the postdoc’s job-hunt package
- Career cafés