The gender gap in STEAM education remains a persistent challenge, extending into the professional world and leading to significant social and economic consequences. This imbalance hinders innovation, slows scientific progress, and limits the full potential of diverse talent. Addressing this issue is essential for fostering equality and driving scientific and societal advancements.
As part of EELISA’s annual awareness events, held in celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11 February), the 4th EELISA Roundtable “From Plans to Impact: Advancing Gender Equality in STEAM Education” focused on the role of European University Alliances in shaping transformative changes within higher education.
With over 70 attendees from across Europe and a welcome speech by EELISA Executive Director Sofia D’Aguiar, this insightful session provided representatives from EELISA, ENHANCE, and EUt+ with the opportunity to share their experiences in advancing gender equality initiatives within their alliances and beyond.
The discussion highlighted both the challenges faced and the unexpected positive outcomes that have emerged. Additionally, students—the ultimate beneficiaries of these initiatives—offered their perspectives, providing a firsthand account of the impact of these efforts.
Promoting Gender Equality through MOOCs, Self-Assessment Tools, and Governance Parity
In STEM fields, women still make up slightly less than a third of students at the bachelor’s and master’s levels and 37% of doctoral candidates (…) according to the She Figures report published by the EU only three years ago. This data was shared by the roundtable’s moderator, Professor of Economics at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Pisa), Andrea Mina, who introduced the speakers and set the stage for a fruitful exchange.
Inés Roquero, EELISA Policy Advisor and Strategy Facilitator, outlined the four key pillars shaping the alliance’s approach to gender equality. She emphasized the importance of developing institutional structures, such as the Gender and Diversity Workgroup, which serves as a foundation for progress. Data-driven decision-making also plays a crucial role, with reports from each EELISA member institution helping to establish key indicators for tracking advancements. Competency-building initiatives, particularly through MOOCs like Women Leaders in Science, are designed to equip individuals with leadership skills and promote gender inclusivity. Additionally, internal and external awareness-raising efforts remain central to EELISA’s strategy, ensuring that the conversation on equality extends beyond institutional policies.
Providing a perspective from the ENHANCE Alliance, Raphaela Hettlage, Team Leader of ETH Diversity at ETH Zurich and member of the alliance’s Diversity and Inclusion Workgroup, highlighted the steps taken to integrate gender parity at the governance level. She explained that ENHANCE has embedded gender balance within its decision-making structures and has appointed Gender and Diversity Representatives (GDRs) across all Work Packages. Looking ahead, she also introduced an upcoming STEM competition, developed in collaboration with the Women and Girls Forum & EU Code Week, aimed at fostering engagement and participation among underrepresented groups.
From the EUt+ Alliance, Deirdre McQuillan, Project Team Lead for Transitions and Society, shared additional impactful measures. She underscored the significance of promoting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) teams across partner institutions, as well as implementing policies that encourage community engagement through dedicated Equality and Diversity Units. She also explained how a focus on dynamic data collection and tracking is helping EUt+ monitor progress and identify areas for improvement, while the development of self-assessment tools provides institutions with a concrete framework to evaluate and enhance their diversity strategies.
The voice of students.
An essential part of the roundtable was the intervention of students to understand the impact and scope of all plans.
Scarlet Song, a bachelor’s student in Industrial Engineering at RWTH (Aachen, Germany) and part of the ENHANCE Alliance, shared how despite efforts to support women in STEM and anti-discrimination policies, she has faced prejudiced comments in class, such as women being less suited for technical jobs due to physical demands.
Ilenia Colamatteo, from EUt+ and a third-year PhD candidate in Economics and Management of Sustainability and Innovation at the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (Italy), shared her experience of how, in such a transdisciplinary field, she has witnessed a stark contrast: in engineering-related courses, only 10% of students were women, while in language and literature courses, women made up the vast majority.
Dóra Baranyai, a fourth-year Civil Engineering student at Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and an EELISA Student Council member, emphasized the importance of representation, particularly when young women seek female role models in STEAM fields to shift their perceptions of what is possible.
The roundtable finalised with a very dinamic interactive Q & A session where participants from Spain, UK or USA, among other nationalities, shared their questions and comments with the moderator and panellists.
The event concluded with a shared consensus: the need for continued collaboration and strategic action to bridge the gender gap in STEAM, fostering a more inclusive and innovative future for European higher education and society.
The 4th EELISA Roundtable for the IDWGS is an event co-funded by the European Union under GA No. 101124676