EUTOPIA Celebrates International Women's Day 2025

On March 8, 2025, EUTOPIA joins the global celebration of International Women’s Day—a day dedicated to honouring the achievements of women and advocating for gender equality. This year’s theme, "Accelerate Action", underscores the urgency of dismantling barriers and driving meaningful progress in all sectors, including higher education.

Within the EUTOPIA alliance, the growing representation of women in higher education across our European universities reflects years of effort to create inclusive academic environments. More women than ever are enrolling in universities, gaining greater access to opportunities that empower them. This progress demonstrates the ongoing transformation of academic institutions into more equitable spaces for learning and growth.

 
However, challenges remain, particularly in leadership and decision-making roles. Despite strong representation among students, women continue to be underrepresented in executive leadership positions. The chart below illustrates the overall gender representation across the executive boards of all our European universities.

 
This chart represents the aggregate distribution of gender across the executive boards of our European Universities. Out of these ten institutions, two universities actually have a higher proportion of women on their executive boards, while three universities maintain a perfectly balanced 50-50 representation of men and women. The remaining five universities have a higher proportion of men on their executive boards. Despite the progress some universities have made towards achieving gender equality, the overall data still reveals a gender imbalance. This highlights the barriers that continue to limit women’s opportunities for leadership and influence—not only in higher education but across all sectors. As we observe International Women’s Day 2025, and its theme "Accelerate Action", we are reminded of the urgency to dismantle these barriers and create meaningful progress.

In certain parts of the world, women's rights are increasingly under threat, with ongoing challenges to their freedom, safety, and equality. EUTOPIA remains steadfast in its commitment to combat these growing issues. On International Women’s Day 2025, we celebrate the progress made while recognising the work that lies ahead. Together, we strive for an academic environment where women are not only equally represented, but also valued and empowered at every level. EUTOPIA’s dedication to gender equality extends beyond statistics, grounded in a broader commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equal opportunity. Our approach focuses on fostering inclusion for all—regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, race, disability, or sexual orientation.

Join us in celebrating International Women's Day on 8 March 2025! #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction