How to Fix the Digital Gender Imbalance?

There is a significant gender gap of IT and digital science specialists. In the EU, only 20% of them are women, a ratio which has barely improved since 2015. Worldwide the gap is even larger in some fields. The average percentage of women working in artificial intelligence is just 12%. Why does this gender imbalance persist? And how can we support and empower women to pursue a career in digital science? 

In this episode of From Cyber to Campus, host Prof. Dr. Mike Friedrichsen discusses these questions and more with Prof. Dr. Maren Borkert, professor at the German UDS and head of the research group “Digital Entrepreneurship and Management”. 

Explaining the Gender Imbalance 

Prof. Borkert sheds light on the socio-cultural reasons that discourage women from entering the sector from a young age. Providing care to children and older family members can disqualify women from accessing higher education. But more women are needed in digital science. It is estimated that in Europe alone, the number of workers with advanced digital skills will need to double by 2030. And more diverse and gender-balanced teams are likely to produce better, fairer and more inclusive digital technology. 

Drawing from research and personal experience, Prof. Borkert explains that closing the gender gap will need effort from all stakeholders, such as governments, universities and business leaders.  

Empowering Women 

But despite these hurdles, women seeking to start a career in digital science should not be discouraged. According to Prof. Borkert, higher awareness of the issues and a growing number of networks and mentorship opportunities make this an exciting time to enter the field. 

Digital universities, such as German UDS, can empower women to pursue higher education. By offering courses that are fully online and designed with a flexible curriculum, we democratize digital knowledge globally and support individual growth and development. 

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