Advancing Gender Equity in Higher Education by Emma Contreras
Since the early 2000s, higher education institutions globally have achieved near gender parity in overall enrollment; in fact, women now outnumber men in college attendance across many regions (Bonfert and Wadhwa, 2024). Despite this progress, parity in access has not translated into equity across certain fields of study. Women remain underrepresented in masculinized, high-wage disciplines, such as physics, engineering, and computer sciences (PECS). Conversely, men are underrepresented in feminized, lower-wage fields such as nursing and education. Addressing these inequities requires systemic change within higher education that increases participation and transforms institutional cultures, policies, and pathways.