“I have learned how to give feedback in a better way and how to negotiate. The course also made me think about what it means to be assertive and how important it is”. This is one of the many positive comments of the participants of the 16-hour “Female Leadership in Science” course organized in October 2018 by the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences of the Pompeu Fabra University (DCEXS-UPF).

7 female PhDs and 11 Postdocs from DCEXS-UPF and other centres at the Biomedical Research Park of Barcelona (PRBB) learned skills for leadership and practical negotiation, but also in self-management, career planning and effective communication based on assertiveness and feedback. The last part of the course was reserved for an introduction to peer coaching. Ever since, the group meets regularly to further consolidate the knowledge acquired during the course and to give each other support as leadership and career challenges might arise.

Committed to gender equality

The gender dimension of talent retention concerns the managers at the DCEXS-UPF. Even though bio-scientific careers attract students in equal numbers of female and male undergrad students, PhD students and postdocs, the transition to leadership roles is biased and only approximately 25 % of women achieve a position of a principal investigator. Therefore DCEXS-UPF has taken action with this initiative to make sure that women advance in their career and that this becomes the rule rather than the exception.

The DCEXS commitment for gender balance and talent retention is a central part of the Strategic Research Programme of the department’s María de Maeztu project. “The success of this course paves the way for future activities of our Gender Action Plan“, explains David Comas, director of the department. The plan also includes specific funding to help women pursue and consolidate their career in science.

Read more in El·lipse.