IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v11y2022i10p478-d942713.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Quantifying for Qualifying: A Framework for Assessing Gender Equality in Higher Education Institutions

Author

Listed:
  • Josilene Aires Moreira

    (Department of Computer Science, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58045-010, Brazil)

  • Catarina Sales Oliveira

    (Department of Sociology, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal)

Abstract

The objective of this study is to present the development of a framework for assessing gender inequality in higher education institutions (HEIs) which reveals how this academic environment is progressing in terms of gender balance. It proposes a multi-dimension-based index comprised by five dimensions—Empowerment, Education, Health, Violence, and Time. The mathematical model used enables the user to assign a weight value to each dimension, customizing the results according to the institution addressed. The paper is based on a post-doctoral research project which analyzed six globally recognized indexes (Gender Inequality Index; Global Gender Gap Index; Women, Business, and Law Index; Gender Equality Index; Social Institutions Global Index; Women Empowerment Principles) to construct a new framework for gender inequality evaluation tailored for HEIs. It used a Laplace–Gauss-based scale. The research included an experiment of concrete application to two instiutions, one in Europe and the other in South America. While the first one had a Gender Equality Plan, the second had not. The analysis was successfully conducted in both institutions. The two institutions presented general results above 60%. These results need to be read in the specific context of each university. The Gender Equality in Higher Education Institutions Index (GEHEI) provides a user-friendly way of checking the existence of gender inequality, summarized into a single number but able to be detailed in several levels and to provide insight into progression over time. The handling of the GEHEI tool is also very straightforward. The proposal is designed to be used in different HEIs; it is recommended that researchers customize the weights of the dimensions according to their relevance in the specific organization. This paper provides a new methodological model to measure gender inequality in HEIs based on easy-to-obtain data, distinguishing itself from global indexes by its ease of application and interpretation.

Suggested Citation

  • Josilene Aires Moreira & Catarina Sales Oliveira, 2022. "Quantifying for Qualifying: A Framework for Assessing Gender Equality in Higher Education Institutions," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-24, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:10:p:478-:d:942713
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/10/478/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/10/478/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jasna Kovačević & Dževad Šehić, 2015. "The Pursuit Of A Remedy For Gender Inequality In Wider Europe: Comparison Of Policies And Indices In The Eu, Nordic Countries, And South East Europe," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 60(204), pages 127-156, January –.
    2. Sara Clavero & Yvonne Galligan, 2021. "Delivering gender justice in academia through gender equality plans? Normative and practical challenges," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 1115-1132, May.
    3. Edward Harvey & John Blakely & Lorne Tepperman, 1990. "Toward an index of gender equality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 299-317, May.
    4. Senem Ertan, 2016. "How to Study Gender Equality Policy Cross-Nationally? Aggregate or Disaggregate Gender Equality Policy Indices?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(1), pages 47-76, January.
    5. C. Cascella & J. Williams & M. Pampaka, 2022. "An Extended Regional Gender Gaps Index (eRGGI): Comparative Measurement of Gender Equality at Different Levels of Regionality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 757-800, January.
    6. Max McDonald & Neal Koblitz, 2019. "One Bad Formula Can Spoil Everything: A Simple Adjustment That Would Improve the UN’s Gender Inequality Index," The Mathematical Intelligencer, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 27-34, June.
    7. Selin Dilli & Sarah G. Carmichael & Auke Rijpma, 2019. "Introducing the Historical Gender Equality Index," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 31-57, January.
    8. Lorraine Eden & M. Fernanda Wagstaff, 2021. "Evidence-based policymaking and the wicked problem of SDG 5 Gender Equality," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 28-57, March.
    9. Gaëlle Ferrant, 2014. "The Multidimensional Gender Inequalities Index (MGII): A Descriptive Analysis of Gender Inequalities Using MCA," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(2), pages 653-690, January.
    10. Anita Breuer & Hannah Janetschek & Daniele Malerba, 2019. "Translating Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Interdependencies into Policy Advice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-20, April.
    11. Iñaki Permanyer, 2013. "Are UNDP Indices Appropriate to Capture Gender Inequalities in Europe?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 927-950, February.
    12. Stephanie R. Psaki & Katharine J. McCarthy & Barbara S. Mensch, 2018. "Measuring Gender Equality in Education: Lessons from Trends in 43 Countries," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 44(1), pages 117-142, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Caynnã Santos & Rosa Monteiro & Mónica Lopes & Monise Martinez & Virgínia Ferreira, 2023. "From Late Bloomer to Booming: A Bibliometric Analysis of Women’s, Gender, and Feminist Studies in Portugal," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-26, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. C. Cascella & J. Williams & M. Pampaka, 2022. "An Extended Regional Gender Gaps Index (eRGGI): Comparative Measurement of Gender Equality at Different Levels of Regionality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 757-800, January.
    2. Alex C. Michalos & P. Maurine Hatch, 2020. "Good Societies, Financial Inequality and Secrecy, and a Good Life: from Aristotle to Piketty," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(4), pages 1005-1054, September.
    3. Jussi Heikkilä & Ina Laukkanen, 2022. "Gender-specific Call of Duty: A Note on the Neglect of Conscription in Gender Equality Indices," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(5), pages 603-615, July.
    4. Faustine PERRIN, 2022. "Can the historical gender gap index deepen our understanding of economic development?," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 88(3), pages 379-417, September.
    5. Lorraine Eden & M. Fernanda Wagstaff, 0. "Evidence-based policymaking and the wicked problem of SDG 5 Gender Equality," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-30.
    6. Lorraine Eden & M. Fernanda Wagstaff, 2021. "Evidence-based policymaking and the wicked problem of SDG 5 Gender Equality," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 28-57, March.
    7. Jonathan P. Doh & Lorraine Eden & Anne S. Tsui & Srilata Zaheer, 2023. "Developing international business scholarship for global societal impact," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(5), pages 757-767, July.
    8. Hanna Dudek & Joanna Myszkowska-Ryciak & Agnieszka Wojewódzka-Wiewiórska, 2021. "Profiles of Food Insecurity: Similarities and Differences across Selected CEE Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    9. Björn Mestdagh & Olivier Sempiga & Luc Van Liedekerke, 2023. "The Impact of External Shocks on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Linking the COVID-19 Pandemic to SDG Implementation at the Local Government Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-18, April.
    10. Khan, Haider, 2024. "Women’s Socially Embedded Capabilities and Development: A Theory-based Empirical Investigation," MPRA Paper 119908, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Clemens Tesch-Römer & Andreas Motel-Klingebiel & Martin Tomasik, 2008. "Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being: Comparing Societies with Respect to Gender Equality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 85(2), pages 329-349, January.
    12. Evans David K. & Akmal Maryam & Jakiela Pamela, 2021. "Gender gaps in education: The long view," IZA Journal of Development and Migration, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-27, January.
    13. Dilmaghani, Maryam, 2021. "The gender gap in competitive chess across countries: Commanding queens in command economies," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 425-441.
    14. Joanna Wiśniewska & Joanna Markiewicz, 2021. "The Impact of Poland’s Energy Transition on the Strategies of Fossil Fuel Sector Companies—The Example of PKN Orlen Group," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-17, November.
    15. Srigiri, Srinivasa Reddy & Breuer, Anita & Scheumann, Waltina, 2021. "Mechanisms for governing the water-land-food nexus in the lower Awash River Basin, Ethiopia: Ensuring policy coherence in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda," IDOS Discussion Papers 26/2021, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    16. Syeda Mubashira Batool & Zhimin Liu, 2021. "Exploring the relationships between socio-economic indicators and student enrollment in higher education institutions of Pakistan," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(12), pages 1-17, December.
    17. Amaia Altuzarra & Catalina Gálvez-Gálvez & Ana González-Flores, 2021. "Is Gender Inequality a Barrier to Economic Growth? A Panel Data Analysis of Developing Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-21, January.
    18. S. Vögele & K. Govorukha & P. Mayer & I. Rhoden & D. Rübbelke & W. Kuckshinrichs, 2023. "Effects of a coal phase-out in Europe on reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 879-916, January.
    19. Kendall Oswald, 2023. "Gender Discrimination: An Overview Of Historical And Contemporary Issues," Post-Print hal-04109042, HAL.
    20. Adam J. M. Devenish & Petra Schmitter & Nugun. P. Jellason & Nafeesa Esmail & Nur M. Abdi & Selase K. Adanu & Barbara Adolph & Maha Al-Zu’bi & Amali A. Amali & Jennie Barron & Abbie S. A. Chapman & Al, 2023. "One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:11:y:2022:i:10:p:478-:d:942713. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.