Around 1870, the first women were starting to study at the universities in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the number of female students has increased dramatically: 45% of all students in universities are women; 24% in institutes of higher-education. Unfortunately, the situation is quite different within the academic staff: only 7% of the professors in universities are women, 15% in institutes of higher-education. Experts in equality issues are presently trying to apply, on different levels, the principle of equality of opportunities between men and women at universities and institutions of higher-education. Federal higher-education committees are actively supporting this effort with specific programs.