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UvA sharpens gender targets for academic staff: 40% female professors by 2030

Monique Kooimans

UvA sharpens gender targets for academic staff: 40% female professors by 2030

Published on 10-12-2025 13:00
At the end of 2024, 29.9% of professors at Dutch universities were women — an increase of 1.2 % compared to 2023. This brings the symbolic 30% threshold – often seen as the critical mass required for structural change – within reach. Nevertheless, progress remains modest and uneven. If the current national trend continues, a balanced gender distribution will not be achieved until around 2043.
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Within the University of Amsterdam, there are also disparities between faculties. While the university as a whole is approaching the 30% target, the proportion of female professors varies per faculty, from less than 15% to nearly 50%. To accelerate the progression from assistant professor to associate professor and ultimately to professor, the UvA is adopting more ambitious targets and a broader strategy.

New targets for 2030

For 2030, the UvA has set the following university-wide gender targets:

  • Assistant professors: 50% female
  • Associate professors: 45–50% female
  • Professors: 40% female

By promoting equal opportunities not only at the top but also in earlier career stages, the university seeks to improve progression on a structural level.

Broad approach to attracting and retaining talent

In addition to these targets, the UvA is investing in measures to make the university an even more attractive employer. These include career counselling, leadership development, transparent appointment procedures, and attention to work–life balance. The foundation for this approach lies in faculty plans: each faculty is developing its own strategy tailored to local circumstances and challenges. Faculties will also start exploring interfaculty collaboration.

Progress will be monitored and discussed annually at university level. In this way, the UvA aims to steer purposefully towards equal opportunities and an inclusive academic community in which academic talent can thrive.