Talented women graduates face gender inequality in their careers

2018 International Women's Day at EPFL Rolex Learning Center © EPFL - For the first time, an EPFL survey has traced the careers of its women graduates. Its findings - together with several alumnae's personal accounts - show how effectively these women have integrated into the job market. The survey also reveals, however, the roadblocks to their professional advancement along with their hopes for greater gender equality. Of EPFL's more than 35,000 alumni, a little under 7,000 are women, or some 20% of the total. This percentage remains low, even though it has risen in recent years - 68% of alumnae were under 35 years of age in 2021. That said, serious disparities persist among EPFL's various disciplines: although women account for more than 48% of life-sciences graduates, for example, this figure falls to a mere 9% for electrical engineering and 7% for mechanical engineering. The majority of female graduates (64%) stop at a Master's degree, while 24% go on to earn a PhD.