RESEARCH AND ARTS

In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, STE(A)M education and training have become more prominent in higher education. As the world experiences the fourth industrial revolution, the demand for STEM professionals and experts is expected to rise. However, women’s participation in STEM studies and careers remains very low in most of the Western Balkans, even though, according to an RCC study, 56% of tertiary education students enrolled in the region between 2015 and 2018 were women. Only North Macedonia and Serbia have a higher proportion of female students in science, mathematics, and statistics, surpassing all other Western Balkan economies. The Global Gender Gap Report 2021 shows that STEM achievement in Montenegro was 15.20% for women compared to 30.01% for men, while Bosnia and Herzegovina performed slightly better with 16.12% for women and 28.43% for men. Men are almost twice as likely as women to participate. Intersectional vulnerability is especially pronounced among Roma women and girls in education, with an enrollment rate of 1% and a completion rate of 0.1%, as well as in employment.

To address current STEM-related gender and intersectional imbalances in higher education and career opportunities in the Western Balkans, the GEAR project proposes a framework to change the current situation by:
– Co-creating and implementing gender equality plans at Western Balkan higher education institutions.
– Strengthening the participation of women and girls in STE(A)M studies and careers.
– Promoting support and involvement of women and girls with fewer opportunities in higher education.
– Implementing national and local gender equality measures in strategic development frameworks, such as specialization, inclusion, and gender equality strategies.
– Addressing the needs of the most vulnerable female students, particularly Roma.

MOOC and E-TOOLKIT

You can find it on Moodle platform: https://tinyurl.com/27asy7g2

Use Guest Access

Password: Gear.Project2025