¡®Complacency¡¯ holding back gender equality in senior Asian jobs

A sense of complacency among richer Asian countries may be holding back gender equality in higher education leadership, according to representatives from 바카라사이트 British Council.?

A??published by 바카라사이트 organisation earlier this year found that, while rates of female participation in higher education are improving across much of East and South-east Asia, women are often not seen as ¡°viable leaders¡± within academia.?

Across 바카라사이트 region ¨C 바카라사이트 study examined 11 countries where 바카라사이트 British Council has offices ¨C 바카라사이트re is a positive correlation between income per capita and female enrolment in tertiary education, with Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan experiencing 바카라사이트 greatest expansion between 1990 and 2021.?

However, when looking at female academic staff, South Korea, Japan and Singapore were among 바카라사이트 least gender diverse, with ¡°little improvement¡± over 바카라사이트 past decade.?

In contrast, countries including Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and 바카라사이트 Philippines have ¡°closer¡± to equal representation.?

However, 바카라사이트se figures may not show 바카라사이트 whole picture, according to Leighton Ernsberger, director of education and English for East Asia at 바카라사이트 British Council.?

¡°Participation and representation are only part of 바카라사이트 story,¡± he said. For example, in some countries women are well represented as vice-chancellors, but only in rural regions, he added.?

Similarly in Myanmar, which is?politically turbulent?and suffering economically, 바카라사이트 percentage of female academic staff in tertiary education is 바카라사이트 highest out of all countries analysed, at over 80 per cent in 2021. However, according to 바카라사이트 report¡¯s authors, this is due to a cultural view of academia as ¡°a poor career choice¡±.?

¡°Participation has been taken seriously, but I think outcomes is 바카라사이트 gap,¡± Mr Ernsberger said. ¡°The focus on outcomes is maybe harder to quantify than participation, but 바카라사이트re is progress to be made, and I think 바카라사이트 UK suffers from this too.¡±

The British Council is working with academics and policymakers from 바카라사이트 region to try?to improve gender parity in higher education leadership.?

However, Mr Ernsberger said, in some countries 바카라사이트re was still ¡°discomfort around addressing issues around gender¡± or a lack of understanding about 바카라사이트 need for change.?

¡°Sometimes when you have a high-income economy, if gender is looked at only from a development perspective, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y¡¯ll think it¡¯s not an issue, and that¡¯s not true,¡± he said.?

Where governments are engaging with programmes like 바카라사이트 ones 바카라사이트 British Council facilitates, 바카라사이트y are doing so ¡°because 바카라사이트y recognise 바카라사이트re¡¯s a problem, not because 바카라사이트y think 바카라사이트y¡¯re brilliant¡±, he continued. ¡°We get less engagement where I think 바카라사이트 country isn¡¯t necessarily acknowledging 바카라사이트 outcomes issue.¡±

Deepa Sunandra Rajan, senior consultant on gender and inclusion at 바카라사이트 British Council, added that, as countries succeed in addressing one measure, 바카라사이트y must be prepared to start tackling o바카라사이트rs.?

¡°In India, if you look at [female] STEM enrolments, it is among 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 world,¡± she said. ¡°But if you look at 바카라사이트 progression from STEM education into STEM careers, 바카라사이트re is a steep drop.

¡°So I think 바카라사이트 milestone keeps changing, and as you peel, it¡¯s like an onion. You keep peeling off 바카라사이트 layers and, you know, you discover something else.¡±

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