Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) remains the Flemish university with the highest percentage of female professors. In 2024, nearly 36% of its Independent Academic Staff (ZAP) – the group of professors and academic staff who conduct independent research and teach – are women. This reaffirms the university’s role as a frontrunner in gender equality within the academic world.
These figures coincide with ‘Gender Equality Week: Breaking Barriers’, taking place at VUB from 3 to 7 March. Throughout the week, topics such as gender equality, inclusivity, and diversity will take centre stage in a series of lectures, debates, and interactive sessions. Rector Jan Danckaert highlights the importance of these initiatives:
“At VUB, we firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive academic environment enhances the quality of research and education. We are proud to be leading the way in gender equality, but we remain ambitious. Our university must be a place where talent gets every opportunity to grow, regardless of gender, background, or other diversity factors. In particular, we want to encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM fields, where student enrolment – and consequently, the gender balance among staff – remains a challenge in certain disciplines. Diversity in these fields is crucial to tackling the societal challenges of the future.”
The positive trend at VUB is reflected across different academic levels. The university has seen an increase in the number of female postdoctoral researchers and a continued rise in the proportion of women within the Assistant Academic Staff (AAP). The number of female full professors is also growing, signalling a structural improvement in progression to the highest academic positions.
VUB remains committed to fostering an inclusive academic career path for all. Its renewed ZAP career policy focuses on coaching, feedback, and engaged leadership, ensuring that talent can develop to its fullest potential. In the coming period, the university will assess what further ambitions can be set for gender equality in the Gender Equality Plan 2027-2030.*
*This is a machine translation. We apologise for any inaccuracies.
