Italy: Gender Segregation and Higher Education

In recent years Italy has profoundly changed in regard to various areas such as the organisation of work, the structure of the family, and the idea of motherhood. Although new working and lifestyles have emerged, the country is placed at the lowest levels in the international ranking in terms of equity. According to the Global Gender Gap Report (2018), Italy is at the 70th place among 149 countries and ranks as the last among the EU countries. OECD (2008), ISTAT (2018), Eurostat (2017) and Almalaurea (2109) data show a worrisome situation. Women usually don’t choose study paths in STEM subjects; they are poorly represented in technical-scientific professions. The percentage of women who work is still much lower than men. Other critical areas of concern are wages, levels of participation and access to highly qualified professions. The main elements that contribute to this educational segregation of gender are often made up of "invisible constraints”. Prejudices and stereotypes socially and historically assigned roles and models as well as traditional patterns of study choices influence access to specific professional paths. As a result, the educational and professional self-segregation is often added to an imposed segregation. The chapter analyses the contemporary situation in Italy and critically discusses recent data and research on the presence of women in HE and in the job market.