Gender equality plan at the University of Ljubljana : the case of work–life balance

Švab, Alenka (author), Leskošek, Vesna (author), Živoder, Andreja (author)

The article addresses the challenges to achieving gender equality in academia, with a particular focus on work–life balance as outlined in the University of Ljubljana’s Gender Equality Plan (2022–2027). Based on a 2022 survey of 820 academic staff members, the study investigates how caregiving responsibilities, institutional practices, and organizational culture affect career advancement and satisfaction with the work environment, particularly concerning gender equality. The findings reveal significant gender differences in caregiving responsibilities, uptake of parental leave, access to leadership positions, and perceptions of institutional support. Women are disproportionately affected by inflexible promotion criteria, such as the mandatory three‐month stay at a foreign university or research institution, and report higher instances of career setbacks following parental leave. Regression analyses underscore the role of perceived equal opportunities, supportive leadership, and workplace culture in shaping experiences of gender equality. While the Gender Equality Plan at the University of Ljubljana outlines promising measures, the study highlights a critical gap between policy and practice.

• Language: English
• Keywords: academia, career advancement, caregiving, gender equality, institutional practices, work and research, work–life balance
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Geographic coverage: Slovenija
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences; FSD - Faculty of Social Work
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 1-22
• Numbering: Vol. 13, art. 10014
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178062
• UDC: 316.346.2-055.2
• ISSN on article: 2183-2803
• DOI: 10.17645/si.10014
• COBISS.SI-ID: 243749379
• Publication date in RUL: 16.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Social inclusion
• Publisher: Cogitatio Press
• ISSN: 2183-2803
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523399961

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: akademski svet, napredovanje v karieri, oskrba, enakost spolov, institucionalne prakse, delo v raziskavah, ravnovesje med poklicnim in zasebnim življenjem, enakopravnost

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0183
• Name: Socialna psihologija in sociologija vsakdanjega življenja