German universities: female professors are still in the minority

There are still far fewer women than men teaching at German universities and colleges. According to the Federal Statistical Office, in 2021 only one in four full-time professors was occupied by a woman.

Women are still significantly underrepresented in top academic positions: Only a good one in four full-time professors (27 percent) at German universities was occupied by a woman in 2021, according to the Federal Statistical Office.

At the beginning of an academic career, however, women are still disproportionately represented: According to the statisticians in Wiesbaden, more than half (52 percent) of the students in the winter semester 2021/2022 were women in the first semester. In the 2021 examination year, the proportion of women in the successfully completed university examinations – excluding doctorates – was even 53 percent.

Low proportion of women in engineering

In the further stages of the academic career, women are increasingly underrepresented. In the case of completed doctorates, the proportion of women was 46 percent in 2021. It was highest in the arts and arts subject group at 69 percent, and lowest in the engineering sciences subject group at 19 percent. In the case of completed habilitations, the proportion of women was 34 percent.

At 27 percent, it was lowest for full-time professors, even if it has increased slightly in recent years: In 2011 it was still 20 percent. Last year, professorships in the humanities subject group had the highest proportion of women at 42 percent. The lowest proportion of women was in the engineering subject group at 15 percent.