THE UNEQUAL EQUALITIES OF WOMEN'S ACADEMIC CAREERS IN ALBANIA

Until the end of the Second World War, the population of Albania was more than 80 per cent illiterate; women, more than 90 per cent. Great progress was made, however, in education after 1946. During the 1950's, women gained access to higher education. Despite anti‐feminist, traditional attitudes towards women which persist in Albania, women now make up more than 50 per cent of all university students in the country, one third of the teaching staff at the University of Tirana, and one fourth of the staff in Albanian higher education and research as a whole. Nevertheless, the progress of Albanian women in academic careers is still very slow. The statistics indicate that the sexual equality achieved with regard to access to higher education turns into in‐equality further on in academic careers. Both in terms of academic qualifications and the filling of ranking positions in higher education and research institutions, women are a liny minority as compared to men.