Higher Education Leading to Engineering and Scientific Careers

Women participation in engineering occupations appears as a key-issue for European economical and technical development, as well as a central achievement towards gender equality and social justice. Many studies have identified gender-mainstreaming measures in engineering education; for example, the WOMENG project (HPSE-CT-2002-00109) has recently highlighted key-moments for action and recommendations. Yet, other studies have confirmed that successfully implementing such measures requires in each case a tailor-made overall approach to take into account the specific cultural and economical context in which they must be implemented. The aim of this project is to provide indications about how to launch such measures and monitor the obtained results. The study will be grounded on empirical research about the implementation of selected gender mainstreaming measures in various pilot institutions of engineering education and research all over Europe, including institutions for continuing education and distance learning. After analysing the existing situation, each institution will choose the measures that seem the most realistic and appropriate to its particular case, while implemented measures will have to privilege a global approach from engineering education institutions. They will be intended at the same time for students, faculty and staff and consider transitions from secondary education to higher education and from higher education to academic and industrial professional spheres.