Chicas en Tecnología, with the support of the NCR Foundation, presented a new research on the participation of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) universities. “An unequal career: the gender gap in Argentina's university system.” is the quantitative report that updates and gives continuity to the study that the organization has been doing, since its founding in 2015, on the participation of women in science and technology disciplines.
For the elaboration of the new research, Chicas en Tecnología classified more than seven thousand university degrees in Argentina, reported by the Ministry of Education in response to requests for access to public information. The categorization was carried out based on the definitions established by the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), which allows comparing educational statistics at an international level. In addition, it developed its own classification of all the programming careers of the Argentine university system. “It is important to have a methodology that allows us to start building data together at the regional level since this is a structural problem.”, he explained Megan Ballesty, which, together with Milagros Giménez, The company carried out the systematization and analysis of the information and prepared the new research report.
“An unequal career: the gender gap in Argentina's university system.” describes the most current academic context based on publicly available information. The analysis covers the period 2010 - 2019 and focuses on STEM disciplines and the evolution of women's participation in these areas. The report provides data that shows the persistent gender gap in careers linked to technology development:
- In Argentina, women represent only 34% of the student body in STEM disciplines and 17% of the programming student body.
- Although university studies are expanding - the number of students increased 20% in 8 years - STEM careers are growing at a slower pace. This is happening at the same time that there are unfilled jobs in the technological field due to a lack of people trained for the new profiles required. This stands out as a key industry for the development of economies since it generates quality job opportunities, with long-term projection and remunerative advantages, as well as the creation of services and products linked to the knowledge economy that can be exported to other markets.
The participation of women in STEM careers, as well as diversity in all areas where technological solutions used on a daily basis are created and designed, makes it possible to identify a greater number of needs present in society, generate inclusive services and products, and lead scientific and technological advances from an enriched, diversified and contemplative perspective of the entire population. “The importance of STEM disciplines is growing by leaps and bounds, the world we are in is asking us to intervene on this issue.”, he said Paula Coto, executive director of Chicas en Tecnología.
Girls in Technology generates evidence on the gender gap in the technological field to influence the problem through systemic work with all the actors of the technological ecosystem and to orient its programs and initiatives according to the context in which it acts. The databases and findings are open and free to use so that the public sector, academia and the private sector can develop policies and make decisions to integrate women and minorities in STEM disciplines. The organization also socializes the information with the general public to promote cultural change to develop more just and inclusive societies.
MORE INFORMATION
Chicas en Tecnología developed an interactive microsite in partnership with El Gato and La Caja to provide an accessible and dynamic tour of the main information of the research. Access to chicasentecnologia.org/futuro-programado and learn more about the participation of women in STEM careers in Argentina's university system.
