A thought-provoking long read on the gender gap at Canadian universities.
The gender gap in higher education has been widening for decades. Do universities need to do more to entice men back?
Joe Friesen Postsecondary Education Reporter, The Globe and Mail
Published September 5, 2025
As classes begin for students at Canadian universities this month, one groupwill stand out for its relative underrepresentation: young men.
Even before enrolment data is available, it’s safe to predict that for every 100 Canadian students on campus this fall, nearly 60 will be women and only about 40 will be men.
This gender gap has existed for more than two decades, and universities are well aware of it – but they haven’t done much to address it. Discussion of the subject is not quite taboo, but it’s uncomfortable.
That’s likely because out in the working world, men are doing just fine. The data show that men stillearn more than women. They also tend to hold morepositions of power, including at universities.
But the implications of the enrolment gapare about more than just money.Education is also about citizenship. It’s about understanding a world beyond one’s narrow experience, learning to work with people from a range of places and backgrounds, and engaging with science and research. Those who go to university are more likely to report good health. And they’re more likely to vote.
And yet, boys and men are not choosing further education. Once that decision is made, the path back isn’t easy.
Read the full Globe and Mail feature article here.