5th RTD Framework Programme

Objectives of the project: Large numbers of women in Europe undertake Women's Studies training but we have no systematic data on the impact of that training on their subsequent employment and quality of life. The project therefore seeks to analyse how Women’s Studies training affects women’s opportunities and interventions in the labour market. Since Women’s Studies training differs greatly between countries, a further objective is to examine how these differences relate to individual women's subsequent employment achievements, including changes in the balance between family and work, and changing and managing relationships within the family. As women's employment opportunities vary greatly between partner countries we need to understand what women, once trained, do given the structuring of their employment opportunities. Finally, we intend to analyse the impact Women’s Studies training has on the changes women seek to generate in the workplace, and how it impacts on women's professional and other duties are undertaken in the workplace.

Description of the project: The project involved eleven partners from nine countries (France, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Finland and the Netherlands). It is divided into four phases: 1) the collection of background data by country on women's employment and the degree of institutionalization of both Women's Studies training and equal opportunities legislation; 2) the collection of quantitative and qualitative data from past and present Women's studies students through questionnaires and interviews; 3) the analysis of those data; 4) their dissemination through various publications and workshops.

Expected results: The results of the empirical data collection will

improve our understanding of how high quality employment for women can be generated in Europe;

help to explain wide variations in rates of women’s employment in Europe;

produce policy recommendations on women’s education and employment;

explore some of the areas of the service sector in which there is good potential for employment creation for women;

analyse the relationship between Women’s Studies training and women’s professionalisation as a consequence of that training;

analyse how Women’s Studies training contributes to innovation in employment;

analyse how Women’s Studies training contributes to job creation, combating under-achievement, and unemployment reduction.