The Gender Gap in Higher Education: A Comparative Study of the UK and Bhutan

Running head: THE GENDER GAP
THE GENDER GAP
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1THE GENDER GAP
The gender gap as a topic of discussion is certainly not simple and it is an issue that
cannot be easily sorted out. The relations between gender and schooling have been noted long
ago and since then have been a concern (Kaufmann, 2017). A gap is noted when it is perceived
from the gender dynamic in educational sector. The paper aims to discuss the ways gender gap
can be observed in the higher education. The paper will consider the UK and Bhutan for
presenting the existing gender gap in high school.
Gender imbalance across the educational institutes is not a new phenomenon in British
universities. Firstly in regard to enrolment numbers and subject studies, the UK have more
women students enrolling than it is in Bhutan. The gap existing between the number of women
and men applying to university has widened and can be seen in official figures. There are almost
98,000 more women than men who have applied to start degree courses lately. In the UK women
are found outnumbering men in approximately two-thirds of degree subjects (HESA, 2019).
Bhutan is making slow progress in tertiary enrollment which was reported 0.73905 per cent in
2013 (The World Bank, 2013).Women seems to be choosing subjects that are not STEM by
nature. There is growth in the women literacy rate however the numbers are less compared to the
men in the educational institute. Men are found dominating in the areas traditionally considered
male subjects such as engineering and some science. The subjects such as nursing are a place in
UK where women outnumber men by nine to one. Psychology also poses a gender divide
followed by social work, education and design. The competition rate is severely high as both the
genders are acquiring education with the aim of securing good job.
Secondly, it regard to graduates pay rates and job satisfaction, both the countries have
relevant gender gap. Although the UK has gender gap in the employment, the women
participation in the labor market have noted rise. The female employment rate in the UK is