Women's participation in higher education in Poland 1970–1984

Abstract

Recent changes in women's education in Poland are described in the context of Polish higher education. The proportion of female students rose from 42.3% in 1970 to 50.8% in 1984 but the increase is concentrated in departments such as humanities, mathematics and natural sciences where women were already well-represented. In the period under review there was a decline in interest in technical studies but this affected men as well as women and is to be explained by reference to the labour market which is currently over-supplied with technical school graduates. Women seem to prefer more general courses especially those offering social and occupational mobility. The period 1977/78 to 1984/85 saw a significant decrease in students especially in technical schools, law and administration, mathematics and the natural sciences. The preferred fields in recent years from the point of view of the needs of the economy have been medicine and teacher training. The decline is due to demographic factors and the situation in the labour market. These changes are discussed in relation to mode of attendance (full-time, evening, extramural).

Particular attention is paid to the slow increase in the proportion of women university teachers; in 1970/71 the percentage was 30.7% and in 1984/85 it was 34.9%. However the higher the academic grade or degree the lower is the proportion of women and factors explaining this are discussed. Throughout the article comparisons are made with other socialist and with industrialized capitalist countries.