A concerning 38.76% of Andalusian university students have at some point considered dropping out of their studies. The main reason cited by those who have contemplated this possibility is stress or anxiety, indicated by 75.6%. This figure underscores the importance of student "emotional well-being" as a fundamental pillar in university reconciliation policies.
These conclusions stem from the first interuniversity study on conciliation and co-responsibility within the Andalusian university community, conducted by the universities of Almería, Córdoba, and Pablo de Olavide. The research, presented at the UAL, surveyed 1,498 individuals across the three campuses.
The report confirms the persistence of the gender gap in the distribution of care responsibilities. Women dedicate an hour and a half more per day than men to caring for dependents and suffer a greater impact of motherhood on their careers. 48.4% of students believe they cannot adequately balance their studies with other responsibilities.
The questionnaires, distributed to students and staff (PDI/PI and Ptgas), reveal that female PDI/PI and Ptgas personnel dedicate significantly more time to caring for dependents and household chores. 67% of female PDI/PI believe motherhood has harmed their careers, compared to 47.9% of men. Furthermore, women are more likely to forgo key academic activities such as research stays or scientific publications.
Teaching and Research Staff (PDI/PI) exhibit "worrying" levels of "work overload," with 91.4% habitually taking work home and only 23.3% managing to disconnect. Emotional exhaustion affects 47.9% of the total, being higher in women (50.2%) than in men (43.8%). Stress or anxiety affects 91.6% of PDI/PI.
The main obstacles identified include the limited dissemination of existing measures, a culture of presenteeism, fear of stigmatization, and regulatory rigidity. The most valued measures by the university community are flexible working hours, exceptional teleworking for caregiving, social action aid, and mental health support.
“"The report is not just a diagnosis, but a real basis for continuing to advance in conciliation and co-responsibility policies within the university."
“"We have perceived that the structural prevails over the particular because, in the end, this is a gender issue and it is very evident in this study."
