Universidad de Concepción launches Women Leaders Network

On Wednesday, the Vice‑Rectorate of Research and Development at Universidad de Concepción inaugurated the "Red de Mujeres Líderes UdeC", a mentorship and leadership network for women researchers. The initiative, coordinated with the InES Gender projects and the university’s 2030 Science and Innovation Plan, targets early‑career female investigators across the campuses in Concepción, Los Ángeles and Chillán, aiming to close gender gaps and strengthen female academic leadership.

The launch coincides with broader debates on women’s labour conditions in Chile. The McKinsey "Women in the Workplace 2025" study reports that, for the first time in over a decade, a lower proportion of women (80%) than men (86%) express interest in senior roles. Low utilisation of paternal leave and unequal family‑care responsibilities are cited as key factors limiting women's career continuity, prompting calls for more flexible work arrangements and policies that promote shared parental duties.