Peer Gender Composition and University Climate

Silvia Griselda, Paola Profeta and Giulia Savio

No 12523, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: Students’ university experience includes both academic and non-academic outcomes, which are shaped by the educational environment in which students interact. We refer to this environment as university climate and measure it along three dimensions: conformity to masculinity-related attitudes and perceptions, the perceived academic impact of mental health (worry and anxiety), and classroom interactions. Using administrative records combined with original survey data, and exploiting the random assignment of students to teaching classes within degree programs at an Italian university, we identify the causal effect of peer gender composition on university climate and academic performance. Greater exposure to female peers reduces conformity to masculinity-related attitudes, lowers the perceived academic impact of mental health, fosters more collaborative classroom interactions, and increases academic performance. These effects are observed for both male and female students. Our findings provide causal evidence that peer gender composition influences multiple dimensions of university climate beyond academic achievement alone.

Keywords: gender; education; mental health; masculinity attitudes; classroom interactions; academic performance; univerisity climate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D91 I21 I24 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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