خلاصة:
Abstract Many scholars believe that investment in women’s education not only reduces the gender gap, but also improves and enhances the cultural and educational level of women in the society. Furthermore, economists believe that women’s education has a positive effect on their participation in the labor market. Education is amongst the most important factors which not only benefits the people who receive it, but also has different advantages for the society as a whole. Although some of these advantages such as the social output of education is not measurable by monetary quantities and cannot be included in financial accountings, it is wise for societies to invest on education, and the role of governments in this area is vital. In Iran, in the last two decades, girls’ entrees into the universities have had a growing trend. The percentage of girls’ entrance into the universities and institutes during the academic year 2007-2008 exceeded 60 percent. One of the obstacles that educated women in Iran face is unemployment. High unemployment rate reveals that in recent decades, due to the lack of labor market flexibility, the needs of manpower in the country have not been met. Research based on state statistics reveals that the rate of unemployment among educated women has had a seven fold increase; the highest increase during last decade from 3 percent in 1997 to 21 percent in 2002. This article deals with the presence of women in higher education and discusses the positive and negative consequences of this increase. Moreover, it deals with the problems of female graduates in the labor market, and the necessity of change in higher education planning to meet their needs in the labor market and remove the obstacles.
ملخص الجهاز:
"In low-income countries, the behavior of rich and middle-class families is an influential political factor to put pressure on the government in order to increase the quality of institutes, improve higher education accessibility, and if needed, allow university entrance based on quota.
Developing countries are encountering lack of human capitals, thus the increasing presence of women at the universities can improve women‟s status in private life as mothers and wives, as well as improving their social status.
Akbari and Haghighi (2006) believe that an increase in the age of marriage, greater motivation for further education and a change of people's attitudes towards women are amongst the main reasons for greater female enrolments at the university entrance exams.
Considering the fact that the proportion of male and female population is about 50/50, and knowing that even in developed countries, job vacancies are greater for men compared to women it can be argued that the growing trend of female admission to universities may be regulated by state intervention based on concentrated 50% quota (Kelli, 1992).
Since the increase in the level of women‟s social and economic participation is critical for the country‟s development, changing women‟s employment pyramid, management pyramid in higher education, scientific pyramid of universities and research institutes, and reforms in other sectors is critical.
Considering the high percentage of girls‟ admission into the universities in Iran which has exceeded 60% of the total enrollments in recent years requires the analysis of social, cultural, economic and political dimensions of the society."