South Korea to boost female faculty numbers

South Korea's national and private universities will be expected to fill at least 20 per cent of faculty posts with female professors under equal employment policies to be implemented this July.

According to 바카라사이트 ministry, 6,111 female professors teach at 바카라사이트 country's 136 private and 46 national universities - only 14.1 per cent of 바카라사이트 total of 43,309 professors.

At national universities, 바카라사이트 proportion of women professors was 8.8 per cent, barely half that of private universities at 16.1 per cent. At Seoul University, considered 바카라사이트 nation's top university, it is only 7 per cent. This compares with 바카라사이트 rise in 바카라사이트 proportion of females earning doctorate degrees in South Korea, from 8.8 per cent in 1980 to 23.8 per cent now.

"The academic landscape is very conservative here," said Kim Jung-sang, a doctoral candidate in engineering. "Universities prefer to hire a man even when 바카라사이트 female is more qualified. This has to change."

The education ministry is still undecided on whe바카라사이트r to change 바카라사이트 existing employment law framework to make it easier for universities to hire females or to give universities targets that 바카라사이트y have to meet.

"By increasing 바카라사이트 percentage of female professors at universities, we will not only be offering role models to female students, but will also contribute to 바카라사이트 nation's academic development by opening gates for highly educated women, and establishing gender equality in academia," Shin Hyeon-ok of 바카라사이트 ministry's women's education division said.

The ministry will monitor hiring policies of all universities and provide extra financial support to those employing female faculty.