"There is a lot of work to be done" says Isabel Capeloa Gil on gender equality in higher education

Isabel Capeloa Gil, Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, spoke about how Higher Education Institutions can contribute to women empowerment and parity increase, in the event "More Women Leadership for a Better World: Care as a Driver for Our Common Home", which took place at Expo Dubai, in the Italy Pavilion, on March 6.

The discussion, based on joint research developed by the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Universities (SACRU) and the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, focused on women's leadership based on the concept of care.

About the work to be done by the institutions, Isabel Capeloa Gil argued that models should be created that support female professors at the moment of maternity. "The institutions have to provide day care centers, they have to have social support systems that allow these fantastic researchers to continue their careers," she argued.

The Rector of the Universidade Católica revealed that a mentoring program is being created at the Universidade Católica for assistant professors in their transition to full professors and that the position of ombudswoman for gender diversity has been created. The goal of both measures is to empower women and have mechanisms in place to implement equal opportunity rights.

Isabel Capeloa Gil also added that it is necessary to fight against the anthropological legacy and cultural prejudice in choosing people for leadership positions, ensuring that the range of choice has parity in the first place. "I am empowering women and making sure that my younger colleagues have a better chance of reaching leadership positions," she explained.

Watch here the participation of the Rector of UCP in the event "More Women Leadership for a Better World: Care as a Driver for Our Common Home".