Even though Women’s Month has come to an end, women are still grappling with the issue of inequality. On Wednesday, 10 September 2020, CUT’s Transformation Unit brought together a sterling line of distinguished experts in academia to discuss the ongoing challenges faced by women in higher education and to find solutions to these challenges.

CUT’s Dr Ntsoaki Malebo Senior Director: Centre for Innovation, Teaching and Learning, facilitated the webinar along with Dr Jane Nkhebenyane, Lecturer: Life Sciences Faculty of Environmental Sciences.

Prof. Vuyokazi Nomlomo, Dean: Education Faculty at the University of Western Cape, said that while we have excellent policies and organisations which aim to reduce the issue of inequality within gender, there are still many inequalities in various space.

“There is change, but the change is minimal, and the change we see we cannot be divorced from the issues of gender, race and social class. Whilst we see a big number at the level of lecturers, we also see a minimal number of women in certain disciplines, particularly those in the stem areas. When I took over as dean in 2017, in our department of science and mathematics education there were no female lecturers at all, and I try by all means to bring in women. We now have at least four, which is still not enough,” said Prof. Nomlomo.

Prof. Mantsoe Diale, SARCHI: Clean and Green Energy: Department of Physics at the University of Pretoria, encouraged experienced women in academics to play a more significant role in their students’ lives to ensure that they inspire them to also become academics.

“You have to catch their attention in the first year, share with your students what you do in your research facilities, also have projects that are related to what you do in your lab, in that way you will not lose your students. Be prepared to be the absent mother, as a woman its very normal for them to come to you for mothering. Know your institution very well so that when a student comes to you, you know where to send them for help and look for opportunities for your students. Lastly, strengthen your postgraduate pipeline,” said Prof. Diale.

Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Internationalisation at Nelson Mandela University, focused on using funding to propel women in higher education. She shared some of the available opportunities for women in academics.

“Besides funding, we also have the issue of visibility. There are very few professors who are chairs, and who can stand up and say we are role models for young women who are still developing. It is important to profile your women researchers at CUT. This inspiration is important it matters because by seeing one of your own, you are able to develop and get motivation,” said Dr Mgwebi.

Prof. Wendy Setlalentoa, Acting Dean: Faculty of Humanities at CUT, concluded the discussion by highlighting the inequality still faced by women at CUT. “At CUT we have a total number of 27 employees at the level of associate, and professorial level, 19 of them are males, in the whole institution we only have nine professors in the full-time employ of CUT. And out of these few female professors, only two were recently promoted to full professorship. However, a positive side is that female academics in particular who are in senior positions and middle management mentor and coach junior female academics. In fact, we have taken it upon ourselves as female academics at CUT in particular to mentor each other, to lift as we rise,” said Prof. Setlalentoa.

Edith Sempe, CUT Deputy Director: Research Development Support Research Development, gave a small overview of where CUT is currently, the opportunities available and what is often referred to as a stereotype threat.

“CUT has proven over the years that we are outstanding in development, but we have challenges in terms of retention. Most of our female academics who are resigning are quite senior, experienced researchers and academics,” said Sempe.

Prof. Sheila Matoti, Professor of Education and Head of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at CUT, stated a few challenges faced by women in academia, including the stringent criteria for promotion, accessing teaching loans for junior employees and a shortage of dedicated mentors. There are also age restrictions placed on applications for research grants, as often women leave academia to start their families and when they return their age might be beyond the age criteria for some grants.

“We still see gender inequity, especially in leadership positions in higher education, despite (existing) national and institutional interventions to transform this situation. Females do not seem to succeed in climbing up the career ladder to occupy such important executive interventions. Female academics continue to be underrepresented in executive leadership positions. There are still few female professors, especially black female professors. The majority of young academics are appointed as lecturers and junior lecturers. What is important is for institutions to implement these transformation agendas, we want action now and not words,” said Prof. Matoti.

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