Women in Research and Development in Universities and Research Institutions

Prof Asma Ismail ( PhD), FASc

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation,Professor, Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine

(INFORMM) - HiCoE,Chancellory, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang,

Malaysia

International Forum on Women in Science and Technology in Muslim Countries

20-22 Sept., 2011

• Looking at the global trends of S&T• Issues and challenges for women in S&T• Addressing the gaps

• Policies that address the issues• Policies that allows women to remain in

R&D• What do we do in the mean time?

• Turn around the way we do research: science with a human face

Outline of talkOutline of talk

Outline of talk

• Advances in science and technology have marked the onset of the Third Millennium.

• If S&T was used rationally and effectively, it could help eradicate hunger, poverty, destitution and indignity.

• Malaysian Vision 2020 has clearly placed Science & Technology (S&T) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a critical pathway to achieve the status of a developed nation and to help enhance Malaysia’s survival in the K-based economy.

• Emphasis on human resource development in S&T continues into the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015), during which premier universities and Research institutes are expected to create centers of excellence for research.

Introduction to Science & Technology

Source: `Women in Science and Technology in Malaysia: A Gender Perspective’ by Rashidah Shuib, KANITA, USM

• The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and the Ministry of Higher Education are the lead ministries that formulate policies in the area of science, technology and innovation for fundamental research (MOHE) and applied and commercialization of research (MOSTI) .

• Innovation aspects of Research are looked into by AIM (Agency Innovation Malaysia)

• Government based Venture Capitalists (MTDC, BiotechCorp, MAVCAP) look into pre-commercialization and commercialization of research

• MOSTI and Academy Sciences Malaysia (ASM) also implements many programmes related to the promotion of S&T and national R&D activities.

Science & Technology in Malaysia

Since R&D is the national agenda of the country, in the Malaysian Budget 2010, strategies as announced by Prime Minister for research in S&T include:- - Intensifying Research, Development and Commercialisation- Development of Green Technology- Enhancing Highly Skilled Human Capital

(Develop Intellectuals in Science and Technology)

Science & Technology in Malaysia

World/Global Agenda

New Era Demands New Education and Research Paradigm

Local /National

Global

Hunter-GatheringAgricultural Age<Manual>

Knowledge-based Economy Age < Knowledge >

Bio-Green Economy Age< Synthetic Capability :eg IT

Ubiquitous – Humanization Economy Age< Wisdom, Moral, Spiritual >

19C 20C 21C Time

Industrial Age < Mechanical >

Dev

elo

pm

ent

Future concentrates on outcomeon humanity rather than just

impact of knowledge

Stage of economy in AsiaStage of economy in Asia

The assets that drive economic success of K-based economy:

patents advanced research venture capital university graduates and Ph.D.s air, rail and sea hubs

*Source: Bruce Katz, TIME Magazine, 21st Oct 2010

Factors that drives Economic SuccessFactors that drives Economic Success

Assets are mainly in the Universities

Science

TechnologyManagement

DisseminateKnowledge

Translate knowledge(Value Creation of

knowledge ThroughInnovation &

Entrepreneurship)

Provide solutions Through

Real-World Experiences

8

Train innovators of tomorrow •Curriculum that creates entrepreneurs to participate in Startups• Graduates that are self employed and create jobs for others•Graduates that cares about humanity

Empower talents to be action-oriented leaders who deliver solutions that ensure sustainability of change

Engine of growth for the nation

via commercialization of R&D products and development

of K-based enterprises

Role and expectations of Universities in the 21st Century

We are expected to go through

R –D –C – E- Community engagement

(to help humanity)

Expectations of Modern Universities in the New Economy

Issues and challenges for women in S&TIssues and challenges for women in S&T

ISSUES

•Malaysia wants to be a developed nation by 2020

•To be a developed nation we need to to have 50:10,000 population of RSEs

•We currently stand at 21:10,000 RSEs

•Hence we need BOTH men and women to pull their weights to fulfill the statistics within 9 years.

•We cannot afford to loose either gender.

51.4

Source: Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development

Student Enrolment in Government Assisted Schools by Level of Education and Sex , Year 2007REALITY

Males drop in number

Source: Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development

41.8

58.2 61.9

38.1 47.1

52.9 38.1

61.9

Student Enrolment in Public Higher Learning Institutions by Level of Study and Sex, Year 2007/2008

Increased in female number for

undergrads but begin to drop off

at PhD – “leaky pipeline”

REALITY

Source: Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development

46.0

83.1 82.8 83.0 82.3 81.5 82.1 80.9 80.0 79.9

46.4

84.379.5

44.4 44.6 47.2 46.8 46.7 47.7 47.3 45.9 45.8

Gender participation

in labour force is about equal

REALITY Labor Force Participation Rate by Sex, 1997-2007

Source: Registrar Office of UPM

43.0%57.0%

50.6%

49.4%

60.2%

39.8%

38.7%61.3%

46.9%53.1%

58.5%

41.5%

REALITY(SPECIFIC EXAMPLES): Percentage of Academic Staff in Universiti Putra Malaysia by Cluster as of November 2009

There seemed

to be subject specializations among female

students

Source: Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development

Year 2006 Year 2007/2008

49%

51% 35.9%

64.1%

21.6%

78.4%

53.1%

46.9%

36.4%23.1%

63.6%76.9%

Number of Female lecturers

decreased as we move towards

Professorship

Number of Academic Staff in Public Higher Learning Institutions, 2006 - 2007/2008

REALITY

REALITY

Lower percentage of women

leaders in S&T

Source: Aini Idiris, Knowledge Society & the Status of Women in Science in Malaysia,2010

Statistics of Women vs. Man as Fellows in the Academy of Sciences, Malaysia

Fellow Academy of Sciences Malaysia

Source: Aini Idiris, Knowledge Society & the Status of Women in Science in Malaysia,2010

Women in Science & Technology – The Trends

• Percentage of women in scientific and technological careers is lower than men (which is also a widespread global phenomenon)• The trend is even more distinct in professional, managerial and leadership positions•The overall female labor participation rate in Malaysia has not increased much in comparison to the number of enrolment in higher education•Academicians (researchers) in institutions of higher learning, in S&T still show lower numbers of women, especially at higher positions• Though women have the drive and capability to succeed in S&T, there seems to be a phenomenon whereby the percentages of female began to wane at the working level (and at higher postgraduate level) – “leaky pipeline”

Source: `Women in Science and Technology in Malaysia: A Gender Perspective’ by Rashidah Shuib, KANITA, USM

REALITY

Source: Prof Aini Idiris; Knowledge Society &the Status of Women in Science in Malaysia,2010

Source: Prof Aini Idiris Knowledge Society &the Status of Women in Science in Malaysia,2010

What Happened?

Lack of policy in S&T that addresses the needs of women to remain in S&T

• Malaysian S&T policy is a gender blind policy.

• Without the availability of sex-disaggregated data its difficult to perform a systematic gender analysis.

• Without undergoing gender tracking to find out the issues that take place as they go through the entire stage of their decision making process and without giving serious consideration as to the realities of life that women are facing in trying to balance between family and career, the existing policy will ensure women to remain status quo in their contribution to S&T.

Indonesian S&T Policy

• S&T development needs to apply gender perspective, so as to realize gender equality and justice (JAKSTRA IPTEK 3.1, Prinsip Dasar No.8)

• Studies to be carried out on the weaknesses of institutional structure which need to be overcome immediately in order to reduce the impact of socio-political gaps and provide support to gender equality through a harmonious atmosphere in order to continuously strengthen the basis for social solidarity. (JAKSTRA IPTEK 3.4, No 2:10)

This is in contrast to the Indonesian S&T policy:

What can the existing women scientists do in the mean time?What can the existing women scientists do in the mean time?

Kim,W.C. and Mauborgne,R. (2005).

How can we ensure that we are in the lead and ahead of our competitors? How do we make our competitors irrelevant?How can we create an impact to the nation and to society?

Photograph by Zulfigar YasinPhotograph by Zulfigar Yasin

Determining directions of Research: Blue Ocean Strategy

The realityThe gap between rich and poor is becoming wider and more visible. Almost 60% of humanity lives on

less than $2 a day. Nearly 30% of the world's population suffers some form of malnutrition.

The world's richest 50 million people consume as much as the

2.7 billion poorest people on the

planet

40% Malaysian households are below poverty line

40% Malaysian households are below poverty line

Science with a human face

•The progress in the fields of biotechnology, information and communication technology, medicine, space science and management science offers unprecedented opportunities for multifaceted development.

•The industrialized countries and a few developing countries (in some of the areas) are vigorously capturing these opportunities by innovating, adapting and regulating these technologies.

•But the majority of the developing countries are far behind and underdeveloped countries are further falling behind, thus widening the technology divide.

•Science and Technology can greatly promote inclusive development by addressing the needs and opportunities of poor and the neglected. •If only S&T was performed with a human face in mind it will have a special appeal for the people who need it most.

• Despite decades of epidemics that we have experienced, we still do not have adequate vaccines

• Annually 48 million die of cholera, 2.9 million from enteric infections, 5 million die of AIDS and tuberculosis

• WHY?• Simply because vaccines are

UNAVAILABLE or INACCESSIBLE to those who need it most from the underdeveloped or developing countries.

• No company wants to make a vaccine for USD1.00WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT???

Reality: Inequity divide exists

•Address the needs of the bottom billion

•Concentrate on research outcomes that will reduce inequity and enhance sustainability

• Provide local solutions to answer global problems.

•Undergo real world experiences to ensure sustainability of change

BottomBillions

4.7 billion

BottomBillions

4.7 billion

Rich2 billionRich2 billion

Balance Impact Balance Impact withwith

Impact factorImpact factor

Nurture action-oriented leaders who are able to provide

sustainable solutions for humanity to use.

Stop playing catching up and turn around the way we do research

Collaborate or collapse

•For S&T outputs to be delivered to the people they have to be commercialised

•Commercialization is not an easy process•Currently Malaysian R&D in the universities can commercialise only 10%

•Commercialization can be enhanced if we have the Political will to:

•Develop innovative human capital•Allocate GDP for Research•Allocate funds Research grants

•Hence there is a need to have the correct innovation ecosystem in the country with collaboration from many sectors

Education

Industry VenturesInnovative Society

Government

Source: MOHE IMP 2010

Innovation Innovation EcosystemEcosystem

There is a need to link There is a need to link S&T outputs to each S&T outputs to each component of the component of the ecosystem.ecosystem.The components must The components must move in harmony to move in harmony to complement and complement and synergize the efforts of synergize the efforts of the others.the others.

Need to Create the Right Innovation Need to Create the Right Innovation EcosystemEcosystem

Scientists need to be closely integrated with policy makers, so that their contribution to the policy debate is included and that the important outputs targeted to those who need them most

Linking S&T outputs to the community

•For S&T to produce the best effects and to ensure sustainability of the change, there must be planning for community engagement of the solutions being offered by the researchers.•Such an approach puts people at the centre of development •People-oriented solutions recognize that the people must themselves identify their own development priorities and select the most appropriate technologies and products.•People-oriented solutions will also be made appropriate to the culture of the targeted clients.

When performing R&D we need to be relevant

and offer solutions that create a sustainable

change to the people.

Gender Relations

Gender Relations

Gender Relations

Who takes the lead is not important, as long as we

are doing science for the sake of humanity and helping to reduce

the inequity divide

Thank You

asma@usm.myasmainformm@yahoo.com