NHH wishes to increase the number of female faculty

"NHH has only 13 female professors in permanent positions. This is about 16%. Increasing the number takes time", says Deputy Rector Sunniva Whittaker.

03.11.2014 - Astri Kamsvåg

"The purpose of the female only seminar which took place on 28 October, is twofold", says Gunnar E. Christensen, Vice Rector for Faculty Management. "Firstly, it is important that our female faculty pay attention to gender dimensions in their research. Secondly, the seminar and dinner afterwards is an important arena for them to network and socialize."

As a state specialized university, NHH has a duty to take active, targeted and systematic steps to promote gender equality which is formulated in the Norwegian Gender Equality Act.

NHH works systematically to reach its long-term goal: at least 40 % women in its academic staff. The seminar and dinner in October are measures described in the institution's action plan. The events were exclusively for female faculty, but the six department heads were also invited, regardless of their gender.

NHH thinks it's important to raise the female faculty's awareness of gender dimensions. The institution works to integrate the gender dimension in all aspects of its activity.

This is in line with what Lise Christensen, Special Adviser at the Research Council of Norway, said in her presentation of the Council's policy and EU requirements. "Gender imbalance in research and innovation is a persisting problem in Europe", she stated. "Both the Research Council and the EU have increased their focus on gender now in their calls", she explains. The percentage of research projects which include the gender perspective that the Research Council receives, is only around 29%.

NHH Professor Ingeborg A. Kleppe who presented the findings of a course that she and her colleague, Professor Inger Stensaker, have taught, says: "Number is a necessary but not sufficient means to meet the gender challenges".

NHH's main challenges to increase the proportion of female professors
- Increase the proportion of female adjunct professors

- Increase the proportion of newly appointed female research fellows

- Increase the proportion of women in academic positions to the same level as the average for the CEMS Alliance institutions

- Integrate gender equality as a fundamental element in all ordinary activities at the institution

NHH's plans to improve the gender balance in 2014
- Better information about and follow-up of the Action Plan. In connection with recruitment, greater focus on "search and find committees", start-up packages for women and financial incentives for the departments

- Develop requirements and templates for assessment reports for the Academic Appointments Committee

- Integrate gender equality in all work on regulations and revisions thereof

- Management training

- Improve progression in the PhD programme, especially for women (Gender Equality Award)

- Greater focus on gender issues in research (Gender Equality Award)

- Appoint adjunct professors with special mentoring responsibility for women. Priority shall be given to co-production (Gender Equality Award)

Norway is considered a world leader in gender balance. However, it wasn't till 2002 that NHH got its first female professor, Siri Pettersen Strandenes. She was appointed professor 10 years after she was employed as Associate Professor.

Read more about NHH's strategy and measures for gender balance

Read more about the upcoming NHH and FOCUS Corporate Workshop Careers, Wages, Women Workshop

Deputy Rector Sunniva Whittaker

Lise Christensen, Special Adviser at the Research Council of Norway

Post doc Therese Sverdrup in the middle, professor Inger Stensaker to the left and professor Ingeborg A. Kleppe to the right.

Professor Ingeborg A. Kleppe

Foto: Astri Kamsvåg