Over a quarter of university professors are now women, according to the national female professors’ network.

When the network was founded 20 years ago, just 6.5% of university professors were female but that has now risen to 25.7%, the organisation said. The next target is one third by 2025, and a 50:50 split by 2040.

Female professors are more likely to have a temporary contract than men but work slightly more hours. They are also more likely to be in a lower salary scale, the network said.

Dutch universities had the equivalent of 3,008 professors in 2020 when translated into full-time positions, excluding 1,600 working in healthcare.

Women also hold more than 30% of senior lecturer posts and 43.5% of ordinary lecturers’ jobs.

At the other end of the scale, slightly more women than men start a degree course at a Dutch university and women account for 53.5% of all graduates.