Insightful NESET Webinar on Closing the Gender Gap in STEM Education: What Works?

On Thursday, 5 December 2024, NESET organised jointly with DG EAC the webinar Closing the Gender Gap in STEM Education: What Works? The webinar aimed to disseminate the findings of the NESET report Addressing the Gender Gap in STEM Education Across Educational Levels to the education community and promote discussion on how to continue addressing the underrepresentation of women in STEM careers.

The event was organised in three parts. First, an introductory speech by Maria Podlasek-Ziegler (DG EAC) outlined the Commission’s priorities to reduce the gender gap in STEM careers, current efforts, and persistent challenges to increasing opportunities for girls in STEM fields in Europe. Second, Maria Evagorou, Professor of Science Education at the Department of Education, University of Nicosia, and co-author of the NESET report, presented the report’s main findings. Her presentation included specific results on ‘what works’ and detailed recommendations for research and policy development.

Following the presentation, a panel discussion, moderated by Cosmin Nada (NESET Expert Committee member), included contributions from Beatrice Boots, Chair of the EU STEM Coalition; Agueda Gras-Velazquez, Head of the Science Education Department at European Schoolnet (EUN) and manager of Scientix®, the community for science education in Europe; and Jan Lundell, Chair of the Luma Centre in Finland. During the panel discussion, speakers showcased their initiatives addressing gender disparities while sharing the advantages and limitations of these actions. The discussion was guided by two key questions, with webinar participants invited to contribute through an interactive Padlet:

• What works in closing the gender gap in STEM?
• What are the biggest obstacles to implementing the ideas of the report in your community and country?

Finally, the webinar concluded with closing remarks from the speakers. The event was highly successful, with 337 registrations and nearly 200 attendees. The recording of the event is now available on the NESET YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/BhzP57SbAys.