It follows a recent survey by the CIPD, which found that three in five (59 per cent) menopausal women were negatively affected at work, and that almost 900,000 women in the UK had left their jobs because of menopausal symptoms.

• What does the menopause cost the Economy?

• What does the menopause cost individual business?

• What could employers do? - and why?

• What do governments do?

• Is there a policy - series of policies - specifically aimed at the problems of menopausal symptoms?

When we consider the menopause we tend to think of the human cost but what of the costs of recruitment, advertising, productivity, training? What of the costs of drugs to deal with the symptoms? What of the costs of the symptoms themselves?

How much do employers - especially MALE employers - know (or care) about the menopause? What are the economic arguments for having a 'menopause policy'? Some of the course is shot in darkness to symbolise the current state of knowledge/interest about the menopause among males/employers/governments.

Participation from students - especially those in work -is encouraged. Collectively you know how different countries address the cost of the menopause - the human and the financial cost.

Are employers aware of the costs to their business of the menopause?

What steps can/could they take (and how can government encourage this) to reduce these costs?