Elsevier, a major player in academic publishing, released a comprehensive 40-page report on June 10 titled “Progress Toward Gender Equality in Research and Innovation: 2024 Review,” signalling gradual advancements in gender parity but showcasing the need for more substantial action.
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Kumsal Bayazit, CEO of Elsevier and the first woman to hold this position in the company’s 144-year history, stressed the slow pace of progress in her foreword. “There is progress but it is slow. At the current pace of change, equality remains too far away and further action is needed to accelerate change,” Bayazit stated.
The report unveils its findings along with a new tool, the ‘Gender Diversity Dashboard,’ designed to offer extensive data and insights to foster dialogue and inform targeted interventions to bolster women in the fields of research and innovation.
Echoing the pragmatic and balanced approach of historical figures like Marie Curie, Bayazit wrote, “We have sought to notice both ‘what has been done’ and ‘what remains to be done.'”
Key findings of the Elsevier Gender Report
The report, which spans over two decades, shows a rise in the representation of women in the research sector, with their numbers climbing from 28 per cent in 2001 to 41 per cent in 2022. Notably, health sciences have seen significant participation from women, though disparities remain stark in fields such as physical sciences and STEM disciplines more broadly.
According to Elsevier, women’s representation in mathematics, engineering, and computer science is improving but is not projected to reach parity with men until 2052. While grant funding for women has increased from 29 per cent in 2009 to 37 per cent in 2022, their involvement in patent applications—a key measure of innovation—is still markedly lower compared to men.
The report also sheds light on the geographical differences in gender representation, with Portugal and Argentina seeing more than half of their active researchers being women, while countries like India and Japan lag behind.
Recommendations and future outlook
To address these challenges, Elsevier proposes several recommendations, including accelerating commitments to gender equality, supporting the retention of women throughout their careers, and broadening the metrics used to evaluate research impact to include societal and policy contributions.
The Gender Diversity Dashboard, part of Elsevier’s ongoing efforts to provide actionable insights, presents various data visualisations that track the progress and trends in gender diversity across different regions and disciplines.
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As the report points out the long road ahead to achieving gender equality in research and innovation, it also spotlights the positive trends that suggest growing support for women researchers. With detailed data and informed strategies, Elsevier aims to contribute to a more equitable research environment globally.
Bayazit concludes with a hopeful note on the potential of the new tools and data: “Our hope is that the rich insights in this report, together with the extensive data available on the companion ‘Gender Diversity Dashboard,’ will help stimulate dialogue, sharing of best practice, and inform targeted interventions to support women researchers and innovators.”
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