The last half century has brought about an increase in the number of women in all levels of education all over the world. Nevertheless, In spite of the highest levels of education, their qualifications are not translated into options and occupational opportunities for the positions with status and authority within the university (Brooks, 1997a). In relation to the experience of women in universities, it is generally observed there is not a very evident dynamics. This phenomenon is due to the tendency to face a “cold climate” in universities (Ramsay, 2000; Mukherjee, 2000; Joyner &. Preston, 1998). Other authors talk about a “glass ceiling” which the women have to face (David & Woodward, 1998). The barriers to the promotion of women in universities are well-known (Joyner & Preston, 1998; Brooks, 1997a; Shakeshaft, 1989; Ramsay, 2000).

Dube (1989) states that in the majority of social sciences, women were invisible because their contributions were not recognized or were ”absent”, or were not taken seriously. This absence or  “invisibility” of women must jointly be considered with their “visibility” as passive beings. The visibility of men is related with an active attitude and authority.

A simple glance at universities suggests that there is something problematic in this absence. If the latest statistics on Catalonian  universities are reviewed, it can be seen that women represent only  34% of university professors, and, what is more, this percentage decreases as one goes up the professional ladder—to 17% in the case of heads of university departments. Furthermore, the differences are even more noteworthy as regards the percentage of women in academic administrative positions.

If we are interested in the feminine representation with regard to academic positions of management, the differences are still better-known.  Considering the distribution of teachers in Catalan universities from the point of view of category and gender, in January  2005, as in the rest of Spanish universities it can be stated that teaching staff in Catalonia continues to be mainly masculine, so that only one out of each three people pertaining to this professional group is a woman (4.561 women professors of  13.294 people). There are also differences related with professional category. 36% of professors with no stable contract (associated, collaborater, lecturer, visitor) are women, and less are titular and senior teacher.

In this context, our research focuses on the definition of concept of visibility and the analysis of the variables of visibility and the influence those have on the organization of the university. The paper derives from a research study carried out by the Autonomous University of Barcelona and founded by the Women Institute (Spanish Ministry of Social Affairs)

The questions of the research are:

-          In which way does the visibility of women impact on the organization development?

-          In which way does the visibility of women influence their personal and professional development?

-          Does visibility influence the efficiency of the University?

-          In which way can we improve the visibility of women in higher education?

• BROOKS, A. ( 1997a). Academic women. Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education series (SRHE) and Open University Press. • DAVID, M., & WOODWARD, D. (1998). Negotiating the glass ceiling: Careers of senior women in the academic world. London: Palmer Press. • DUBE, L., et. al. (Eds.). (1986). Introduction. In Visibility and power: Essays on women in society and development (pp. xi-xl). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. • JOYNER, K., & PRESTON, A. (1998). Gender differences in perceptions of leadership role, performance and culture in a university: A case study. International Review of Women and Leadership, 4(2), 34-43. • MUKHERJEE, A. (2000). 'Introduction'. In York stories: Women in higher education, York Stories Collective (pp. 3-14). Toronto: TSAR Publications. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. • RAMSAY, E (2000) Keynote address delivered at the internacional seminar Asian Women Leaders in Higher EDucation II. 30 october, Kuala Lumpus, Malaisya • SHAKESHAFT, C. (1989). Women in educational administration. Sage: Newbury Park.