Schwerin (dpa/mv) – Almost every second new professorship in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania now goes to a female scientist. In 2020, the proportion of women in new appointments was 44.6 percent, said Science Minister Bettina Martin (SPD) on Tuesday. From 2008 to 2020, the proportion of women in professorships increased from 14.1 to 25.8 percent.
Martin announced a “Women Professors Program 2030” with which the promotion of women by the federal and state governments at universities is to be continued. The highest possible funding amount per appointment is 165,000 euros per year. Eleven professorships are currently being funded in this way. “The federal and state governments are investing a total of around 7.8 million euros by 2026,” explained Martin. There is still a lot to be done to achieve equality between women and men at all career levels in universities. “The goal is parity,” said the minister.
The commitment to more equality is great. “But we have to solve the main problem that still exists: the higher up the scientific career ladder, the fewer women are involved. And that’s despite the fact that in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania more women than men complete a university degree.”
In 2020, the proportion of women completing degrees in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was 53.1 percent, 47 percent for doctorates and 30.8 percent for habilitations.
