European Women in Computer Science and Engineering Reyyan Ayfer (Turkey), Aurora Vizcaino (Spain), Wendy Hall (UK) Julita Vassileva (Canada), Friday, 4 October, 10:00-11:00
Agenda Figures on this side and on the other side of the Atlantic Some countries with a lot of women in S&E Why? But problems of representation persist: - vertical, industry-government jobs Do women self-select themselves out of more lucrative /competitive jobs? Or are there other reasons?
Women in Computing: A Turkish Perspective Reyyan Ayfer Department of Computer Technology and Programming Department of Computer and Instructional Technology Teacher Education Bilkent University, Ankara
Figures from Turkey General Female ratios: 51% of the population 40% of students in higher education 39% of teaching staff in higher education 39% of the workforce
Figures from Turkey ICT Female ratios: 23% of graduate students (MS, PhD) 24% of undergraduate students (4 year) 35% of associate students (2 year) 28% of teaching staff (all levels) l
HR Employed as Professionals and Technicians in Europe from the Eurostat report by Tomas Meri, 2008
Females Employed as Professionals and Technicians in Europe Turkey from the Eurostat report by Tomas Meri, 2008
Females Employed as Professionals and Technicians in Europe EU Average: 51% female 19 out of 32 over 50% female Lithuania: Estonia: Latvia: 72% female 70% female 65% female Turkey is the last with 30.9% female from the Eurostat report by Tomas Meri, 2008
EU Female Ratios Result of EU Policies? -Information Society Policies -Education and Training Policies -Information Society and Education -ICT use for progress towards Lisbon objectives... to make the EU "the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and respect for the environment by 2010
EU and Women -1951 European Coal and Steel Community --> A Peaceful Europe -1957 European Economic Community --> Common Market -Turkey: 1963 member of EEC -1977 Women s Rights -EU Today (27 countries; 492 million population: EURO!) - visible impact on women
Education System in Turkey Very competitive! Entrance Exams: - after primary education (8 years) - after high school (4 years) - after undergarduate study (4 years)
University Entrance Exam 2008 1.5 million candidates took the exam (44% female) Only one third passed the exam (532 538 students) 48% of the students placed into 4 year undergraduate programs were females Females selecting an ICT related department: 23% Source: Student Selection and Placement Center Statistics,2008
Women in Computer Science - A Spanish point of view Aurora Vizcaíno Aurora Vizcaíno Escuela Superior de Informática University of Castilla-La Mancha aurora.vizcaino@uclm.es
Distribution of Students enrolled on 2006/7 course in Spanish Universities iti Social Sciences Engineering & Humanities Health Welfare Law Computing
Ciudad Real Campus
Distribution in C.S Degrees Only 7 % of women study the 5 year degree 70 60 50 40 30 Male 20 10 0 Computer Science Engineering (5 years) Management Computing in in computing Systems Female
Management in Computing (2001-2002) 2002) Why did you choose this degree? Absolute Frequency Relative Frequency Women Men Women Men Vocation Easy to find a job Acquisition of Culture Friend s suggetion
Have you found a job since you finished i your degree? Absolute Frequency Relative Frequency Women Men Women Men Yes No
How many months between your graduation and finding a significant job? Women Men Average Average Average Number of months Why do women need more time to find a job?
What kind of contract do you or did you have in your current or last job? Absolute Frequency Relative Frequency Women Men Women Men Steady Temporary Self-employeed l Are employers worried about giving steady contracts to women? Prengancy, children
Do you have part-time or full- time job? Absolute Frequency Relative Frequency Women Men Women Men Full-time Part-time Do women prefer part-time jobs or Do women prefer part-time jobs or is this what companies offer them?
Where are you working at present? Absolute Frequency Relative Frequency Women Men Women Men Civil Service Family Business Self-employed Private Company (less than 6 emp.) Private Company (6-to 30 emp.) Private Company (more than 30 emplo.) Do CS women prefer working in public administration to in a private company?
Level of responsability What is the profile of women with a very high level of responsibility? Level of responsibility Absolute Frequency Relative Frequency Women Men Women Men Nothing Basic Intermediate High Very High When a woman wants promotion does she have the same opportunities as a man?
The tasks in your job are related to Computer Si Science Atiiti Activities Absolute Frequency Women Men Absolute Frecuency Women Men Relative Frequency Women Men Relative Frecuency Women Men Administration Education Other services Construction Telecommunications Insurance Culture, sports, entertainment activities
Your current or last salary was between Absolute Frequency Relative Frequency Women Men Women Men Less than 1000 More than 2000
For Discussion Is it easier for men to find jobs in CS than for women? Is it usual for women to have a temporary job and men a steady one? When a woman wants promotion, does she have the same opportunities as a man?
UK Perspective Wendy Hall University of Southampton
Canadian-Bulgarian perspective Julita Vassileva Computer Science Department University of Saskatchewan Canada Institute of Mathematics, Institute of Mathematics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Figures: CAUT Almanac 2007 (women in sci. & eng. vs. women in all fields) ~58% 70 ~49.6% 60 ~39% 50 35% 40 31% 32.6% SciEng 30 All 20 14% 10 38% 51.4% 31% 45.6% 0 BSc MSc PhD Faculty
> 50% Women In Sci, Math, Comp > 45% Women In Sci, Math, Comp > 40 % Women In Sci, Math, Comp
High proportion of women in sci. & eng in eastern and southern European countries Example: Bulgaria Entrance exams for University - quotas required to ensure that there will be some men accepted; 50% women enrollment in first year, possibly increasing over the course of studies. Equal representation of men and women in the workplace but not across academia and industry (more women in academia, less in industry)
So does Europe export qualified women to North America? Small-scale study, 198 female instructors in CS departments across Canada were sent a questionnaire about where they completed their high-school school, MSc, and PhD degrees. 82 responses obtained
Not directly 100% 90% 80% 70% Africa+MiddleEast 60% Asia 50% EastEurope 40% WestEurope 30% USA 20% Canada 10% 0% Only 12% had obtained their PhD out of North America But 40% have obtained their high-school diploma out of N.A.!! -- Is there something different in the school system??
Reasons (Bulgaria) Different educational system (old-fashioned) more streamlined, rigid, less choice math is emphasized throughout school and university Different culture Study something that will feed you later intellectual work WAS associated with prestige (money WASN T) Different social policies in former socialist regimes women were required to work, ubiquitous state-funded daycare system two generations of women fully integrated in the workforce during their lifetimes plenty of rolemodels
Musings on this side of the Atlanticti Perhaps we give kids too many choices too early? Prestige goes with money-earning, or with high-power jobs, not with intellectual work Women encouraged to find their way to express themselves as they wish as mothers, homemakers, professionally (lots of choices) but men are encouraged to find a well paid or highpower job. Very little government support (few day- care or after-school places)
Vertical cross-section section Female faculty in sci. & eng. vs. female faculty in all fields 45 40 41.1% 35 34.7% 30 25 20 15 19.43% 13.88% 7.72% 18.8% SciEng All 10 5 0 Assistant Associate Full
SHE Figures, 2006 31 38 19.4 13.8 7.72
7.72
Vertical effect Similar to Canada, the proportion of women in Sci. & Eng. in higher ranks in Europe decreases. Reasons? In Europe historically i the numbers have been higher, so the time-shift explanation doesn t work here.
Other reasons Fewer resources at higher-levels More politics and games in the higher spheres, women don t want to get involved Lesser support and networks Lack of mentors at higher levels Lesser access to information Different communication style, lesser assertiveness, lower confidence Other priorities: family, spouse, kids, elderly l parents
Let s now see where the research funding is! >45% Women researchers in SciEng Research funding
The Honey-pot factor We see a higher concentration of women in academia and research in the countries with little investment in research funding Similar effect in Bulgaria currently: University positions are paid very low and are becoming completely feminized. Men leave to industry jobs which pay higher but are more stressful.
Questions Do women tend to select themselves out of unattractive jobs? (as advocated by Susan Pinker in The Sexual Paradox ) Unattractive = higher in the hierarchy, higher h paid, with more research $$, but also with more instability, longer hours, more responsibilities Are these jobs unattractive by nature or because men want them so badly and women are kicked out?
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