51¹ú²úÊÓƵ

A pressure group for senior women in higher education celebrates its tenth anniversary next week.

Through the Glass Ceiling, a networking and lobbying group, was set up by Christine King, now vice-chancellor of Staffordshire 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ, and Diana Green, now vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ.

Its aim was to support the few women in posts of dean or above.

Since then, half a dozen women have reached the level of vice-chancellor, although they still make up only a handful of the 115 members of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals.

Janet Finch at the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Keele is the only female vice-chancellor of an old university.

Angela Crum Ewing, retired registrar at the 51¹ú²úÊÓƵ of Reading and a former chair of the pressure group, said new universities had, on the whole, been more supportive of the organisation.

The Through the Glass Ceiling anniversary conference takes place on Thursday in York.