Main authors: Katrien Maes, Chief Policy Officer of LERU, Jadranka Gvozdanovic, Head of the Gender Equality Commission at the Universität Heidelberg, Simone Buitendijk, Vice-Rector at the Universiteit Leiden, Ingalill Rahm Hallberg, Former Vice-Rector at Lunds universitet, Brigitte Mantilleri, Head of the Unit for Gender and Equality at the Université de Genève

A powerful and internationally competitive research base is essential to ensure Europe’s vitality; it in turn is dependent on Europe’s capacity to attract and retain highly skilled and creative researchers. LERU (2010) has previously shown how universities and others can create and enhance attractive employment conditions, career perspectives and support for researchers- men and women.

The present paper focuses on women in academia because more women than men drop out of research careers, resulting in an underrepresentation of women in leading positions, a loss of talent for society and a lack of diversity in the workplace, each of which presents a potential threat to the search for excellence in research.