Gender equality in academia : a critical reflection

Gender equality in academia has been monitored in Australia for the past three decades so it is timely to reflect on what progress has been made, what works, and what challenges remain. When data was first published on the gender composition of staff in Australian universities in the mid-1980s women comprised twenty per cent of academic staff and held six per cent of senior positions. Since the early 1990s many Australian universities have had policies in place to remove sex discrimination, and initiatives to increase women’s representation in academia. Two decades on, women comprise 44 per cent of academic staff and hold 31 per cent of senior positions. How did this happen? What worked? Are there still challenges to be addressed? This paper provides a critical reflection on what has worked, the practical impacts on gender in academia in Australia, and what challenges remain for the future