In the Netherlands women are underrepresented (to put it mildly) in the higher strata of academia. Of all full professors in my country, only 10 percent are women. No kidding.

According to this AAUP report, 24 percent of full professors in America were women in 2006. In a European context, 10 percent is also a low score.

Below is an overview of women on university boards, women occupying the position of dean, and female academic directors of research schools in 2006 (click on the link below for a pdf version of the chart).

WISER: more Women in Science, Education and Research, aims to improve matters with a positive approach during a two-day festival in Maastricht this week:

There are more than enough qualified women to take on key positions in science, education and research. If only those women and the academic and research institutions would recognise the opportunities for female talent. It is time to get WISER.

WISER is a two-day European festival for scientists, students, decision and policy makers, politicians, HR professionals and gender specialists. It aims to put female scientists in the spotlight and prime female academics to reach for the highest.

• Women in key positions in The Netherlands (the chart in PDF).