EQUALITY GUIdE - KU Leuven

Chapter 2 ! Career paths: recruitment ! promotion ! dismissal 89
The previous part has proven that the majority of students have already considered
the prospects of a future career. However, 80% of them declared having no overall
picture of the career opportunities at Ghent University. Very few students have
made inquiries about Ghent University as an employer. More than half of the students
who were questioned ! significantly more men than women ! claim to have no knowledge
of the brochure ‘PhD-research at Ghent University’, which is available both in
paper and on-line. Only 12% of the male and 16% of the female final-year students
have already read the brochure. Consequently, the students find it difficult to assess
their career opportunities at Ghent University. Only 8% have an optimistic view on the
matter. Moreover, the female students tend to have a more pessimistic attitude towards
their career opportunities at Ghent University. The same is true for the answers to the
question ‘Are you interested in an academic career?’, which 27% of the female and
13% of the male respondents answered negatively. 17% of the students answered this
question affirmatively and more men (69%) than women (57%) indicated to be indecisive.
The students are more united on the manner in which to obtain an academic
career. 47% say they would apply for a vacant position. 21% believe that one has to
be asked by a member of the academic staff and ! related to this ! 16% claim that
attracting attention with high marks and dedication during the lectures is the best way
to go. According to 9% of the students, it is of paramount importance to know ‘the
right people’ of the academic staff. Both male and female respondents put the option
‘step up to a member of the academic staff’ last. Although the options’ order is the
same in the answers of male and female students, more than half of the male to 40%
of the female students rank ‘applying for a job’ first. Only 18% of the men, compared
to 23% of the women, believe they have to be asked by a lecturer. Despite the lack of
own initiative, the large majority of students (99%) believe Ghent University to be a
good employer. The central words that come to mind are ‘innovative’, ‘friendly atmosphere’
and ‘efficiency’. Only one in four respondents think the atmosphere among
colleagues is rather competitive.
The students who said to be interested in or indecisive about an academic career were
asked to indicate which factors stimulate their interest. These positive factors can
be classified into three categories:
! the job content: a fascinating career, interest in research, international possibilities,
creative and intellectual freedom, income, fascination for a certain subject matter,
the freedom to plan one’s day, the combination research-education;
! personal factors: a childhood dream, the opportunity to study within the scope of
the job, the intellectual challenge, preparation for the industrial sector;
! external factors: family or friends are academics, prestige, recommended by a third
party.
According to the majority of respondents, the main factors are ‘a fascinating career’,
‘interest in research’, ‘the creative and intellectual freedom’, ‘the fascination for a certain
subject matter’ and ‘the intellectual challenge’. Only 9% of the students see an
academic career as the fulfilment of a childhood dream. The influence of friends and