The aim of this Master’s thesis in ethnology is to examine gender equality at two European universities. Based on interviews with eight female professors at the University of Uppsala (Sweden) and the University of Graz (Austria) this thesis looks at how female professors perceive their situation within academia and how they construe their professional role. Themes that are addressed include perceptions of sex/gender, nationality and sexuality and of their impact on my informants’ career, expectations associated with (female) professors, adjustments to (male) norms and obstacles that still prevent women from attaining high-ranking positions within academia. The thesis further explores influences on their choice of career, sources of inspiration and motivation, as well as the effect of social background and family commitments. By analysing how my informants talk about their professorial role and responsibilities, about their relations with colleagues and superiors, and about gender mainstreaming projects that their universities have initiated, this thesis hopes to shed some light on their experience of academia as a workplace for women and where they see potential for improvement.      The first chapter briefly defines the motivation and aims of this study and explains its theoretical basis, the material and methodological approach. The second chapter analyses the eight ’narratives’ that were presented by my informants, the third chapter discusses similarities and differences between the informants’ accounts, focusing on recurring keywords and central concepts named during the interviews. In the fourth chapter, the results are compared with those from other studies. Finally, the fifth chapter relates the findings to the theoretical concepts that were introduced in the first chapter, and my initial questions and aims.

The study aims to determine the relationship between the talent mindset (TM) and organisational commitment (OC) of academic heads of departments. There is a vast problem in the higher education sector with regards to retaining academic staff members. In order for higher education institutions to attract and more specifically retain academic talent, one needs to implement a sound talent management model. Before such a model can be implemented with success, the organisation first needs to have a positive talent mindset. The relationship between talent mindset and organisational commitment may provide a means to develop appropriate interventions or strategies in order to enhance the talent mindset by focusing on improving the organisational commitment and vice versa. Two instruments, namely the Talent Mindset Index (TMI) and Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), were administered to a sample of 116 heads of departments at a leading university in South Africa, 53 completed questionnaires were obtained. The responses were analysed using correlation analysis and quantitative techniques. Results confirm that the presence of OC is associated with a positive TM. Therefore, the study provides evidence that there is a correlation between OC and the TM of academic heads of departments. Thus, if management utilises existing techniques to increase OC, this should lead to the enhancement of the heads of departments’ TM. The enhanced TM would equip them to implement a talent management model to attract and retain academic staff. / Dissertation MCom University of Pretoria, 2014 / Human Resource Management / unrestricted