THE RECRUITMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE FOR R&D ACTIVITY AND THE ISSUE OF GENDER EQUALITY – THE CASE OF SLOVENIA

Abstract

In the last few years European Union and its member states are facing with a big policy challenge how to increase the human resources in R&D activities and how to attract young people for entering science careers, first of all women. Although the participation of women in science has increased in recent decades, they are still too often dispriviliged and underrepresented in everyday scientific practice. In the article, there is addressed the case of Slovenia. There is analysed the recruitment of young female researchers in “The Young Research Programme” in Slovenia and mentor’s support to the female PhD candidates. The results of empirical study show that regardless of the efficiency of “The Young Research Programme” it has not succeeded in improving the gender structure of young researchers in Slovenia. Moreover, the authors of empirical analysis come to the conclusion, that on the micro level young female researchers receive less intellectual and psychological support from their mentors than their male counterparts.