Communications of the ACM

EC funding opportunities and funded projects. GE issues and the gender dimension in research constitute a crosscutting priority in the entire H2020 Work Programme. Nevertheless, a dedicated funding scheme is included in the H2020 Science with and for Society (Swafs) program.i Swafs projects contribute to the promotion of Gender Equality Plans (GEPs): A set of actions aimed at conducting impact assessment/audits of procedures and practices to identify gender bias, identifying and implementing innovative strategies to correct bias, and setting targets and monitoring process via indicators.j Implementation of the respective GEAR Tool has resulted in examples of best practices on how to attract women into academic leadership positions ensuring, for instance, a gender-balanced representation in the highest decision-making bodies of universities.k Nonetheless, Swafs represents only 1.5% of the total budget for all activities under the Societal Challenges section. 8

With respect to GE in STEM, a significant proportion of EC-funded projects are aimed at structural changes in science, technology, and innovation research organizations and at the inclusion of the gender dimension in research and education. Such projects include (indicatively) GENERA (https:// genera-project.com index.php); GEE-CO ( http://www.geecco-project.eu/ home), which will set up GEPs for universities and funding organizations in the STEM area; and EFFORTI (https:// www.efforti.eu/), aiming at analyzing the influence of measures to promote GE on R&I outputs and on establishing more responsible and responsive research, technology, development, and innovation systems.

A flagship project of particular in-
terest to STEM is Gendered Innova-
tions (http://genderedinnovations.
stanford.edu), which specifically ad-
dresses the gender dimension of R&I.
The project has developed practical
i A complete list of the projects funded by
the FP7 and H2020 programs is provided at
https://ec.europa.eu/research/swafs/index.
cfm?pg=policy&lib=gender]
j https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/
toolkits/gear/what-gender-equality-plan-gep
k Selected abstracts of best practices can be
found https://bit.ly/2Gq9q4E.
methods of gender analysis tailored
to the needs of scientists and engi-
neers. More importantly, the project
provides peer-reviewed analyses of
case studies that evidence the need
for considering gender in all stages of
research design and implementation
in order to produce better science and
innovation outputs.

Expected Impact

Measures and initiatives to promote GE in STEM fields have shown positive effects. In Germany, for instance, education initiatives contributed to an increase in the number of women graduating in STEM-related fields. 1 Similarly, women’s share among appointed STEM professors has increased by 4.1%. 2, 11 Dedicated funding further contributes to an increasing interest in GEP implementation among EU research institutions and organizations ( 113 organizations through 17 projects up to 2017).

Closing the gender gap in STEM is further expected to increase the scientific quality and societal relevance of produced knowledge, technologies, and innovations; contribute to the production of goods and services better suited to potential markets;l and further aid EU economic growth. For example, it is estimated that by 2030 the increase of women’s participation in STEM-related fields will increase the EU GDP per capita by 0.7–0.9.6 In monetary terms, this will lead to 610–820 billion euros improvement in GDP. Furthermore, if effectively implemented, relevant EC measures are expected to increase women’s employment, productivity, and wages4 and thus contribute to long-term competitiveness of the EU economy and improved balance of trade. 6

Conclusion

Narrowing the gender gap in STEM fields has the potential to increase European labor supply and market activity, make women (and men) better equipped to secure steady and well-paid jobs, and in turn reduce the risk of women’s social exclusion, improving both science and society as a whole.

l https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstream-ing/policy-areas/research

References

1. Anger, C. et al. MINT—Fruhjahrsreport (STEM-Spring report). Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Koln (Ed.). Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft Koln, Germany, 2012.

2. Bund-Lander-Kommission fur Bildungsplanug und Forschungsforderung. Frauen in Fuhrungspositionen an Hochschulen und außerhochschulischen Forschungeinrichtungen: Zehnte Fortschreiburg des Datenmaterials (Women in leading positions at universities and non-university research organizations: 11th update to the data). Materialien sur Bildungsplanung und zur Forschungsforderung, 139, 2005.

3. Burchell, B. et al. A New Method to Understand Occupational Gender Segregation in European Labour Markets. Publications Office of the European Union; https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/ files/150119_ segregation_report_web_en.pdf

4. Caprile, M. Encouraging STEM studies—Labour Market Situation and Comparison of Practices Targeted at Young People in Different Member States, European Parliament, DG for Internal Policies. Policy Department A, 2015.

5. Dobson, I. STEM; Country Comparisons—Europe. A critical evaluation of existing solutions to the STEM skills shortage in comparable countries. Australian Council of Learned Academies, 2013.

6. EIGE. Economic benefits of gender equality in the EU. How gender equality in STEM education leads to economic growth (2018); https://eige.europa.eu/rdc/ eige-publications/economic-benefits-gender-equality-eu-how-gender-equality-stem-education-leads-economic-growth

7. European Centre for Development of Vocational Training. Skill shortage and surplus occupations in Europe. Briefing Note (Oct. 2016); http://www.cedefop. europa.eu/files/9115_en.pdf

8. European Commission. Interim Evaluation: Gender equality as a crosscutting issue in Horizon 2020, DG for Research and Innovation, Directorate B—Open Science and Open Innovation, 2017; https://ec.europa. eu/research/swafs/pdf/pub_gender_equality/interim_ evaluation_gender_long_final.pdf

9. Informatics Europe, Informatics Education in Europe: Institutions, degrees, students, positions, salaries, Key data 2012–2017 (Oct. 2018).

10. Kalpazidou, E. Scmidt, et al. A Conceptual evaluation framework for promoting gender equality in research and innovation. Toolbox I – A synthesis report. Deliverable 3. 3 EFFORTI Project; https://bit. ly/2t74pWM

11. Kathinka, L. et al. Gender and STEM in Germany: Policies Enhancing Women’s Participation in Academia, International Journal of Gender Science and Technology, 2012; http://genderandset.open.ac.uk/ index.php/genderandset/article/view/304

12. UNESCO Institute for Statistics Women in Science Fact Sheet No. 51, June, FS/2018/SCI/51; http:// uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/fs51- women-in-science-2018-en.pdf

13. Wragg, J. A new style of learning is essential to plugging the S TEM skills gap (2016); http:// www. itproportal.com/2016/01/03/new-style-learning- essential-plugging-stem-skills-gap/#ixzz3xpOIvBU4.

14. Yang, X., Gao, C. Missing women in S TEM in China: A micro-level explanation for achievement motivation and gender socialization. Oral presentation XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology. Toronto Canada, July 15–21, 2018; https://isaconf.confex.com/isaconf/ wc2018/webprogram/ Paper97933.html

Panagiota Fatourou is an associate professor at the University of Crete, Department of Computer Science and a collaborating faculty member of the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Computer Science (ICS), Greece.