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Women in Universities in Finland: Relative Advances and Continuing Contraditions

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Women, Universities, and Change

Part of the book series: Issues in Higher Education ((IHIGHER))

Abstract

Finland is a small, sparsely populated country of 5.2 million people with long traditions of promoting gender equality and higher education for women. The country has received high rankings in overall gender equality by international comparisons (e.g., UNDP, 1995, 2004; World Economic Forum, 2005). With 36% of the female population aged 25–64 having tertiary education, the country ranked highest among the European Union countries in 2002 (Eurostat, 2003). Finland is also one of the leading countries in research and development in both relative intensity and investment, and it is at the forefront globally in information and communication technology (Statistics Finland, 2005; UNDP, 2001). Furthermore, Finnish society is characterized by women’s full-time employment in a still gender-segregated labour market, women’s long-term and active political participation, as well as governmental commitment to gender equality (e.g., Statistics Finland, 2001; Husu & Niemelä, 1993).

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Authors
  1. Liisa Husu
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Higher Education Program, University of Denver, USA

    Mary Ann Danowitz Sagaria (Professor and Director, Fulbright Scholar) (Professor and Director, Fulbright Scholar)

  2. Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, Austria

    Mary Ann Danowitz Sagaria (Professor and Director, Fulbright Scholar) (Professor and Director, Fulbright Scholar)

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© 2007 Mary Ann Danowitz Sagaria

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Husu, L. (2007). Women in Universities in Finland: Relative Advances and Continuing Contraditions. In: Sagaria, M.A.D. (eds) Women, Universities, and Change. Issues in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230603509_7

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