The Dispatch
Business School Sisterhood
Is there still a place for women’s networks in 2025?
By Chloë Lane
“It’s common practice to not even try to hire the best person for a given management position and instead appoint somebody the decision-makers already know from their networks."
"Women face unique challenges in business, from unconscious bias to systemic barriers. Dedicated networks provide a focused platform to address these challenges, ensuring that women not only enter leadership positions but also thrive in them.”
Women, in general, network less than men, at least according to recent LinkedIn data. “Many women stress that they miss talking to like-minded people, but then they don’t make networking a priority,” Martina Huemann, Associate Professor and Head of Project Management Group at WU Executive Academy tells QS Insights Magazine.
But the reasons behind this aren’t as straightforward as it sounds.
Working women often have difficulty attending networking events outside of working hours, says Professor Huemann, which in many cases, is due to family duties. As a result, women miss the opportunity to gain the network of contacts needed for a successful career.
Men and women also tend to network very differently, highlighted a recent paper published in The Economic Journal. Women, for example, are more likely to maintain smaller, tightly-knit circles, while men have larger, more loosely connected networks. This makes men more likely to gain professional opportunities from their network.
“It’s common practice to not even try to hire the best person for a given management position and instead appoint somebody the decision-makers already know from their networks,” says Professor Huemann. While men often end up in management positions through an ‘old boys’ network’, there’s no such thing as an ‘old girls’ network’, she explains.
The nature of these networks’ gender segregation prevents professional women from communicating with male peers on equal footing, adds Professor Huemann. As a result, qualified female candidates are often overlooked in recruiting and talent management.
The stats say it all: Only eight percent of CEOs in Europe are women. According to new Vlerick Business School research, this figure is up 150 percent since 2014 and the number of women on boards has doubled- but it’s clearly nowhere near enough.
This is where women’s networks can make a difference, particularly in higher education when individuals might be starting out in a particular career path or changing industries.
The evolution of women’s networks
Women’s networks have changed and evolved significantly since they were first created.
“Women have gained ground in international business and leadership, and the awareness of challenges related to intersectionality and inclusion has evolved,” says Andreea Gorbatai, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Vlerick Business School and Chair of the school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. “Women’s networks have also morphed from groups by-women-for-women into talent management networks more integrated with other initiatives within organisations and industries,” she adds.
Having worked in male-dominated professions her entire career, Professor Gorbatai has experienced first-hand the benefits of female mentorship and the sponsorship of senior women, which she says has been essential for her professional success and personal growth.
Now, there is a much greater recognition of nuanced gender identities, she says, as well as awareness of the common challenges encountered by underrepresented minorities. This, she believes, has led to better visibility and more allyship within organisations. She believes that having a focus on women’s rights affirmed and included in the top UN Development Goals has contributed to promoting these initiatives.
“Helping women succeed and helping historically disadvantaged groups be empowered in their careers, benefits organisations, innovation and the broader society,” she says. “Women’s networks are a tool for community building and leadership development that functions best when integrated within, and supported by, the leadership and the overall organisation.”
Women’s networks in higher education
Many higher education institutions around the world have established women’s networks to support and empower female students and alumnae in their careers, offering networking opportunities and access to specialised career help.
Belgium’s Vlerick Business School is one such institution, with its Vlerick Alumni Women in Leadership Club, which aims to empower women by promoting inclusive business environments.
Its mission focuses on inspiring personal growth, connecting members to build supportive networks, and uplifting one another through mentorship and advocacy. It organises events that provide safe spaces to share professional challenges and successes. The society practices what it preaches: anyone is welcome to join this club, as long as they are passionate advocates for more inclusive leadership.
Similarly, Porto Business School (PBS) boasts a variety of women-focused networks and initiatives. The Boldness Way is an alumni-led leadership course specially designed for female PBS alumnae who want to grow in their careers. Participants enhance their skills through dynamic and interactive sessions, workshops, panel discussions and networking events.
Antonieta Silva, the Alumni and Business Improvement Director at Porto Business School, says that women’s networks are still essential in 2025: “While progress is being made, leadership structures and corporate cultures are still evolving. Women face unique challenges in business, from unconscious bias to systemic barriers. Dedicated networks provide a focused platform to address these challenges, ensuring that women not only enter leadership positions but also thrive in them.”
She adds that in order to enact change, it’s also necessary to include men in the conversation, encouraging inclusive conversations where men are engaged as allies in driving gender equity.
Over the next decade, Silva believes these types of initiatives will play a crucial role in policy advocacy, influencing corporate strategies on gender diversity and promoting more inclusive leadership structures. The use of digital platforms will enhance these networks, creating global communities of women in business and providing continuous learning and networking opportunities beyond geographical boundaries.
“At Porto Business School, we remain committed to fostering an environment where women can reach their full potential in leadership. Our women’s initiatives will continue to be a key driver of this mission, ensuring that we not only talk about change but actively contribute to it,” she states.
Rotterdam School of Management Erasmus University (RSM) in the Netherlands also believes in providing specialist support to female students. The school offers a variety of one- to two-day women in business programmes in partnership with Erasmus Centre for Women and Organisations (ECWO). The programmes, described as “motivational” and “transformative” by students, cover everything from negotiation tactics, to mastering body language in business, to managing relationships and networks.
How effective are women’s networks, really?
Despite the benefits they offer, research suggests women’s networks have mixed results when it comes to advancing women’s careers.
One recent study, conducted by researchers from the University of Edinburgh Business School, Lancaster University Management School and Dublin City University Business School, found that women-only business networks may inadvertently marginalise their members rather than empower them.
The research suggests that women’s networks do not effectively address broader societal issues that hinder female entrepreneurship and may reinforce existing gender divisions.
Similarly, a Warwick Business School study finds that women’s networks do little to support senior-level female professionals.
While there is no shortage of qualified female senior candidates, women are often perceived as possessing ‘different skills’ from men – some of which are seen as positive, some less so.
At this level, then, networks are crucial. But the research suggests that senior women are often then locked into poorer quality networks than their male peers. And, as board vacancies are rarely advertised, this means women often lose out to men who have connections in their networks.
One way to solve this problem, say the researchers, is for companies to create a more formal and transparent selection processes to improve gender balance in leadership positions.
Students want inclusive, mixed gender spaces
Nyenrode Business University doesn’t currently have a women-specific network, yet it still has a high number of female professors and a very balanced gender student population in both its degree and executive programmes. It also has strong female alumnae who engage in conversations on increasing female presence in certain career paths, and offer support to students.
“Nyenrode pays special attention to targeting females in our marketing efforts and offering special guidance in careers,” says Désirée van Gorp, Professor of International Business.
However, Professor van Gorp believes students today are looking for inclusive, mixed-gender spaces. “I think we moved on to a DEI policy that moves beyond gender balance,” she says. “Though the latter remains an important part of this broader policy.
“The DEI policy is much more that gender balance: it is about inclusivity and diversity in a much broader sense and that should remain a continuous point of attention for Nyenrode, especially in a geopolitical environment that reflects a backlash in these efforts.”
Hult International Business School has always been committed to supporting women in business, particularly in leadership roles. However, its approach is based on integration, rather than specific societies dedicated to gendered networking.
“All Hult learners play an equal role in the classroom and in its challenge-based learning process, and all students have access to the various leadership roles that the programme has to offer,” says Dr Monique Jordan, the Dean of the Boston Undergraduate campus at Hult International Business School.
During the business challenges, which are a core aspect of the Hult curriculum, there are many opportunities for leadership – from leading cohorts and playing a senior role on business teams to presenting to Hult’s client partners.
Hult's student clubs also present many options for leadership. “This month alone, we have Women’s History Month celebrations across our main global campuses that are conceived, developed, and executed by female students,” reveals Dr Jordan. Additionally, many of Hult’s TEDx events are led by female students and feature many of Hult’s female faculty.
“At Hult, we understand that all leaders—no matter their gender—play an important role in fostering collaboration and creativity and contributing to a pool of diverse perspectives. This type of diversity is built into the Hult DNA,” says Dr Jordan.
Is there still a place for women’s networks at business school?
In business schools around the world, women’s networks play an important role in supporting women’s careers, offering them a safe and supportive environment for networking, learning and professional development with like-minded individuals. They offer a sense of community and an opportunity for mentorship, making it easier to navigate the challenges of the business world.
Despite this, these groups are not a necessity. Most business schools already provide plenty of opportunities for networking and leadership development for everyone, along with events designed to suit different preferences – such as smaller, more personal meetups. As DEI policies come into question in organisations globally, inclusive leadership opportunities may play an even greater role than ever before.
Whichever approach business schools take, the goal is the same – to create an inclusive environment where women can thrive, whether through dedicated networks or broader school initiatives.