A gender analysis of the population A gender analysis of the population of students and academic staff at the of students and academic staff at the

University of CyprusUniversity of Cyprus

Athanasios GagatsisAthanasios GagatsisDepartment of EducationDepartment of EducationUniversity of CyprusUniversity of Cyprus

Barcelona, January Barcelona, January 20020077

LAYOUT OF THE PRESENTATIONLAYOUT OF THE PRESENTATION

1. General information on the faculties and 1. General information on the faculties and departments of the University of Cyprusdepartments of the University of Cyprus

2. Gender distribution at the University of 2. Gender distribution at the University of CyprusCyprus► Academic StaffAcademic Staff

► StudentsStudents

FACULTIESFACULTIES

SOCIAL SCIENCES and EDUCATION

PURE and APPLIED SCIENCES

ECONOMICS and MANAGEMENT

ENGINEERING

LETTERS

The The

University of University of

Cyprus Cyprus

consists of consists of

six facultiessix faculties::

HUMANITIES

EDUCATION•Elementary school teacher•Kindergarten school teacher

SOCIAL SCIENCES•Sociology•Political Science

PSYCHOLOGY •Psychology

DEPARTMENT DEGREEDEPARTMENT DEGREE

SOCIAL SCIENCES and EDUCATION

LAW •Law

ENGLISH STUDIES•English Language and Literature

FRENCH STUDIES AND MODERN LANGUAGES

•French Studies

TURKISH STUDIES ANDMIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES

•Turkish Studies

DEPARTMENT DEGREEDEPARTMENT DEGREE

HUMANITIES

CHEMISTRY •Chemistry

COMPUTER SCIENCE •Computer Science

MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS

•Mathematics

DEPARTMENT DEGREEDEPARTMENT DEGREE

PURE and APPLIED SCIENCES

PHYSICS •Physics

BIOLOGICAL STUDIES •Biological Studies

PUBLIC AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

•Accounting•Finance•Management Science•Marketing/Management

ECONOMICS•Economics•International, European and Economic Studies

DEPARTMENT DEGREEDEPARTMENT DEGREE

ECONOMICS and MANAGEMENT

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

•Civil and Environmental Engineering

ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

•Computer Engineering•Electrical Engineering

MECHANICAL AND MANU-FACTORING ENGINEERING

•Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

DEPARTMENT DEGREEDEPARTMENT DEGREE

ENGINEERING

ARCHITECTURE •Architecture

BYZANTINE AND MODERN GREEK STUDIES

•Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies

CLASSICS AND PHILOSOPHY

•Classics•Philosophy

HISTORY AND ARCHAELOGY

•History •Archaeology

DEPARTMENT DEGREEDEPARTMENT DEGREE

LETTERS

Each department offers a number of postgraduate programmes.

GENDER DISTRIBUTION AT THE GENDER DISTRIBUTION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUSUNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS

Distribution of the Distribution of the academic staffacademic staff at a number of the at a number of the departments by genderdepartments by gender

DepartmentDepartment Men (%)Men (%) Women (%)Women (%)

Mathematics and StatisticsMathematics and Statistics 90.0090.00 10.0010.00

PhysicsPhysics 91.6791.67 8.338.33

ChemistryChemistry 83.3383.33 16.6716.67

EducationEducation 47.8347.83 52.1752.17

Byzantine and Byzantine and

Modern Greek StudiesModern Greek Studies

50.0050.00 50.0050.00

Classics and PhilosophyClassics and Philosophy 69.2369.23 30.7730.77

English StudiesEnglish Studies 60.0060.00 40.0040.00

Academic staff Academic staff ► In the departments of pure and applied sciences In the departments of pure and applied sciences

women do not exceed 20%.women do not exceed 20%.► In the departments of education and humanities the In the departments of education and humanities the

difference between the number of men and women is difference between the number of men and women is smaller. smaller.

► The Department of Education is the only department The Department of Education is the only department where the number of women exceeds men. where the number of women exceeds men.

In total, 4274 (72%) of the students (5954) are women and 1680 In total, 4274 (72%) of the students (5954) are women and 1680 (28%) are men. (28%) are men.

Three hypothetical explanations for the “dominance” of women over Three hypothetical explanations for the “dominance” of women over men are the following:men are the following:

1.1. Cypriot girls prefer to stay in Cyprus for their studies, whereas Cypriot girls prefer to stay in Cyprus for their studies, whereas boys prefer to study abroad. boys prefer to study abroad.

2.2. Parents in Cyprus encourage their girls to study in Cyprus.Parents in Cyprus encourage their girls to study in Cyprus.

3.3. Given that in some faculties of the University of Cyprus, the Given that in some faculties of the University of Cyprus, the admission levels are higher compared to the corresponding admission levels are higher compared to the corresponding faculties of other universities, girls probably exhibit higher faculties of other universities, girls probably exhibit higher scores at the exams for entrance (Baccalaureate) at the scores at the exams for entrance (Baccalaureate) at the University of Cyprus than boys.University of Cyprus than boys.

Further study is needed to explore the causes of this situation. Further study is needed to explore the causes of this situation.

Distribution of the Distribution of the studentsstudents at the University of Cyprus at the University of Cyprus

Undergraduate StudentsUndergraduate Students

In the undergraduate courses, there are 4032 students, In the undergraduate courses, there are 4032 students, 1126 (27.92%) men and 2906 (72.07%) women.1126 (27.92%) men and 2906 (72.07%) women.

FacultyFaculty Men (%)Men (%) Women (%)Women (%)

HumanitiesHumanities 18.2318.23 81.7681.76

Pure and Applied SciencesPure and Applied Sciences 39.5439.54 60.4660.46

Social Sciences and Social Sciences and EducationEducation

14.0114.01 85.9985.99

Economics and ManagementEconomics and Management 34.6734.67 65.3365.33

EngineeringEngineering 57.8157.81 42.1942.19

LettersLetters 13.7713.77 86.2386.23

Postgraduate StudentsPostgraduate Students In the MSc programmes, there are 851 students, 296 (34.78%) men and In the MSc programmes, there are 851 students, 296 (34.78%) men and

555 (65.22%) women.555 (65.22%) women.In the PhD programmes, there are 358 students, 189 (52.80%) men and In the PhD programmes, there are 358 students, 189 (52.80%) men and

169 (47%) women.169 (47%) women.

FacultyFaculty PhDPhD MScMSc

Men (%)Men (%) Women (%)Women (%) Men (%)Men (%) Women (%)Women (%)

HumanitiesHumanities 1.691.69 7.567.56 5.295.29 8.288.28Pure and Applied Pure and Applied SciencesSciences

25.6825.68 19.0919.09 41.2741.27 36.0936.09

Social Sciences and Social Sciences and EducationEducation

31.0831.08 43.9643.96 20.6320.63 24.2624.26

Economics and Economics and ManagementManagement

25.0025.00 16.2216.22 6.356.35 5.325.32

EngineeringEngineering 14.5014.50 3.783.78 17.4617.46 10.0610.06

LettersLetters 2.032.03 9.379.37 8.998.99 15.9715.97

TotalTotal 100100 100100 100100 100100

Final remarksFinal remarks ► The proportion of women among the students at the University The proportion of women among the students at the University

of Cyprus varies across the three levels of studies. The higher of Cyprus varies across the three levels of studies. The higher the level of studies is, the smaller is the proportion of women. the level of studies is, the smaller is the proportion of women.

► Despite the fact that in the undergraduate programmes of the Despite the fact that in the undergraduate programmes of the Faculties of Pure Sciences and Economics and Management Faculties of Pure Sciences and Economics and Management the number of men is smaller than the number of women, in the number of men is smaller than the number of women, in the MSc and PhD programmes the number of men exceeds the the MSc and PhD programmes the number of men exceeds the number of women. number of women.

► The only Faculty at which the number of men exceeds the The only Faculty at which the number of men exceeds the number of women at all the three levels is the Faculty of number of women at all the three levels is the Faculty of Engineering. Engineering.

Research implicationResearch implication► Socio-cultural factors may influence Cypriot Socio-cultural factors may influence Cypriot

women’s choices for higher studies and their women’s choices for higher studies and their tendency not to go on with their studies in a tendency not to go on with their studies in a postgraduate level. postgraduate level.

► This is an assertion that could be practically useful if This is an assertion that could be practically useful if it was further examined by a large-scale study among it was further examined by a large-scale study among the students of the University of Cyprus. the students of the University of Cyprus.