Gender and Higher Education: The Greek case

2019

This policy paper provides an overview of the state of things in the European Union (EU) in the area of gender equality in science, research and higher education, and reviews the EU’s efforts over the last twenty years to develop a comprehensive policy of gender mainstreaming in this area. Even though equality between women and men is a core value that is enshrined in the European Treaties and a large body of related legislation exists, there are persistent gender disparities in academia and scientific research. This paper examines how the EU’s normative and policy guidelines are designed and have evolved over time to tackle such persisting disparities, particularly as these are manifested in the obstacles that prevent women from advancing in the high ranks of the scientific and academic profession. These disparities are noticeably evidenced in the case of Greece, where despite a permissive constitutional frame and existing legislation, the political will, initiative and resources to promote gender equality in research and academic have been thoroughly lacking. By reviewing the Greek legal framework regarding gender equality and relevant policy documents on research and higher education, this paper identifies the implementation gaps and suggests possible tools to address the gender imbalances in Greek research and university structures.

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2019

A good educational course for women is not connected to their work and career choices after High school and/or University; therefore the perspective that gender equality issues-especially in education-have been resolved, cannot be supported as the gendered profession and career choices are continuing. This is the case for EU and for Greece. The aim of the following article is to retrospect European and Greek policies about gender equality and particularly the incorporation of gender mainstreaming through an overview of policy texts.

1984

Current trends'in women's access to higher education in Greece were studied. Attention was directed to recent differences in achievement by sex, as well as factors influencing success patterns in the national examinations taken at the end of secondary education. Data were obtained from a questionnaire distributed to a

1983

The evolution:of women's participation in the Greek educational system during the last 20 years is considered, with emphasis on present developments. The pattern of this evolution along with. educational policy measures and reforms are also, discussed._ Factors xelated to womenJs achievement patterns and mobility between educational levels arp also analyzed. While all educational levels are examined, emphasis is on the upper-secondary level as the crucial point of transfer to higher education. Tables are provided on:. sex differences in rates of illiteracy, average years of schooling, enrollment rates by educational level, success rates and achievements in primary and secondary eddcation, and success rates,of applicants 'to higher education; and women's participation in higher education by field of study and in specific higher education institutions in Greece. Background information is presented on tire Greek se)ection system forhigher education and measures that have been enacted by the government to reform college admissions. Finally, specific changes in the/college entrance examination requirements,are identified. (SW).

Joshi K.M. & Paivandi S. Higher Education Across Nations. Delhi: B.R. Publishing Corporation. Vol.I. 175-246, 2014

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the structure and characteristics of higher education in Greece while clarifying some of its unique features. Of course, in order to understand, on the one hand, the developments, and, on the other hand, the peculiarities of what is, in the end, a national system of higher education, one needs to be familiar with the basic aspects of the course of history of the social context within which the system in question is integrated. For this reason, we will endeavour to outline some of its basic elements. Then, we will focus on the developments after 1990 (a landmark year for Greece is 1981, the year of accession to the European Economic Community, an event which obliged the country to start to consider international issues alongside national ones, and for the members of the European Union (EU) it starts in 1992, with the adoption of the Treaty of Maastricht and the integration of education into the EU field of interest).

Many women pursue graduate degrees in Greece, however, very few appear in amphitheaters have the role of the professor (higher rank in academia) and very few serve and act as leaders in higher education governance. Nevertheless this is a common issue in several higher education systems worldwide and Greece is not an exception. The glass ceiling, it seems, is still firmly in place. Although, beyond this gap women in Greece appear to have a good representation in the area of Research and Development while academics have an active role and quite good representation in lower rank positions in Greek higher education. However, there are no current empirical studies that investigate contemporary challenges about organizational changes and the economic crisis within Greek women’s academics, their triple role (teaching-research-services), job satisfaction and their motivation. The study deals with these subjects. The data consist of legal documents and interviews with 25 Greek female academics.

The recognition of women's growing quantitative participation in higher education worldwide has to date been rarely accompanied by analysis of the quality of this participation. In Europe, the national and transnational policies of the past few decades have promoted female inclusion in higher education, through positive action aimed at bridging the gender gap, but have not taken into account the different human experience, aspirations, values and expertise of women, interpreting these as a minus value and thereby neutralizing the sexual difference in a universalistic male-dominated paradigm. This article draws on case-study research in five European universities, exploring the free, original voice of women who, as teachers, researchers and university administrators, recount their own university experience, the obstacles in their path and the resistance met with, as well as their own strategies and work practices -including inventive practices -expressing in words their desires and aspirations above and beyond the given order. In the current crisis of the Western universities, caught in the grips of financial distress and symbolic conflicts regarding their mission, we need to give a political transformative sense to these practices and words, offering a new measure of university life necessary for all.

The entrance system to Tertiary Education has been and always is the peak of the Greek educational policy due to its connection with the increasing demand for University studies within the Greek society. University education is tied to the increased social status and access to the tertiary economic domain. Access to tertiary education is longitudinally an utmost administrative issue for every political authority. Therefore, entrance examinations to Tertiary Education are a central point both for the Greek educational system structure and the Greek citizen’s educational and social course. It is regarded that up today this issue has been addressed seriously neither by the university community nor by the decision making political carriers.

Is gendering higher education curricula a priority in Europe, in general, and SEE in particular? How to design gender-inclusive higher education curriculum? How to include gender sensitivity in teaching and research? What are the legal, cultural and organizational barriers in the process of gender mainstreaming higher education curricula? Gender experts from Albania, Germany, Hungary, Macedoniam Moldova, Romania and Serbia answer such questions.