Bridging the Gender Gap in STEM Fields:

Empowering Women for Economic and Social Development in

Malaysia

RASHIDIN IDRIS1, MD. FAISAL-E-ALAM2, RUI ALEXANDRE CASTANHO3,4,5,*,

LUÍS LOURES5

1Faculty of Human Development,

Sultan Idris Education University, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak,

MALAYSIA

2Department of Management Studies,

Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur-5404,

BANGLADESH

3Faculty of Applied Sciences,

WSB University, 41-300 Dabrowa Górnicza,

POLAND

4College of Business and Economics,

University of Johannesburg PO Box 524, Auckland Park,

SOUTH AFRICA

5VALORIZA, Reaserch Center for Endogenous Resource Valorization,

7300-110 Instituto Politecnico de Portalegre (IPP),

PORTUGAL

Abstract: - The study's primary goal is to understand and address gender disparities in STEM education and

careers in Malaysia. The methodology entails an in-depth review and analysis of existing policies, academic

literature, and statistical data from previous reports. The study reveals that the gender discrepancy in STEM

education and careers has significant ramifications, not just for women's economic empowerment, but also for

the overall economic growth and development of the country. Also, research has demonstrated that the

involvement of women in STEM education and professions is essential for promoting innovation, stimulating

economic development, and propelling social advancement. However, despite efforts to advance gender

equality in education and the job market, Malaysian women still face numerous obstacles when it comes to

pursuing STEM education and employment. These obstacles include the underrepresentation of women in the

workplace, the absence of female role models, a family-friendly environment, and societal norms and gender

stereotypes that discourage women from entering traditionally male-dominated professions. This study

emphasizes the importance of improving these issues to encourage female participation in STEM fields by

empowering them for economic and social development.

Key-Words: - Women, STEM education, STEM career, Challenges, Economic growth, Social development.

Received: March 12, 2023. Revised: December 15, 2023. Accepted: January 11, 2024. Published: January 26, 2024.

1 Introduction

The engagement of persons in STEM-related

education and employment is significantly

influenced by gender, and the consequences for a

country's economic development and innovation are

of utmost importance. The female group's awareness

and promotion of STEM topics is noteworthy, [1].

The global proportion of female scientific

researchers is only 29.3%, in the Asia-Pacific

region, women occupied 18.5% of research jobs in

South and West Asia, 23.9% in East Asia and the

Pacific, and 48.2% in Central Asia, [2].

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Although there have been more endeavors to

narrow the gender disparity in STEM fields,

significant challenges still need to be confronted to

ensure equal opportunities for both genders.

Implementing evidence-based policies and programs

has the capacity to improve female participation and

engagement in STEM fields, as supported by

research, [3]. Furthermore, the growing focus on

promoting diversity in science, technology,

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education

has led to an increase in studies that sheds light on

the experiences of women in STEM programmes in

the field of education, [4].

The presence of gender disparities in STEM

fields has significant implications for practices,

policies, and future outlooks. The disparity in the

enrolment and academic achievement of students in

math courses based on gender has decreased in

recent decades, [5]. The importance of STEM

education lies in its ability to empower female

students to achieve their maximum capabilities and

pursue professions in traditionally male-dominated

sectors, thus fostering a workforce that is more

varied, innovative, and inclusive. The school sector

can foster girls' and women's engagement in STEM

education and careers, [6]. Furthermore, it is widely

acknowledged that the major mechanism of gender

disparity in academia is the slower pace at which

women advance in the academic hierarchy

compared to men, [7].

Families play a crucial role in promoting STEM

education and employment among female students

by offering the essential support, encouragement,

and resources needed to overcome societal obstacles

and gender biases. This helps instill confidence and

determination in their daughters, enabling them to

thrive in these domains. The importance of family

and achieving a balance between work and personal

life in influencing career decisions has been

explored, [8]. According to, [9], when parents have

employment that does not include manual labor,

female adolescents tend to achieve better academic

success in STEM subjects compared to their male

peers. The family's provision of essential support,

motivation, and resources plays a crucial role in

encouraging female students to seek and excel in

STEM professions.

Female maths and science teachers are

especially significant because they might act as role

models for young girls by offering the necessary

support and encouragement to foster a love of

STEM education and inspire future female leaders

in these fields. The percentage of female maths and

science educators in an institution has a strong

influence on the possibility of female pupils

choosing and completing with a degree in the STEM

fields, [10]. According to, [11], women outnumber

men in the engineering industry. Representation is

critical if those figures are to rise. Young girls will

grow up believing that they have no place in STEM

courses if there is no female representation.

Furthermore, because STEM discoveries have

enormous potential to promote long-term

development, low rates of participation and

accomplishment among girls and women may have

a negative impact on broader social growth, [2]. In

Malaysia, unlike in many other countries, more

women than men seek postsecondary education,

indicating that adolescent girls and women face less

gender-based impediments to education.

Unfortunately, women continue to face challenges

on the job, with many of these competent workers

leaving to care for their children on their own. This

is a major reduction in the economy's ability to grow

during a vital phase for individuals raising a family,

[12].

STEM professionals, for Malaysia's

transformation to developed status by 2020, will be

dependent on capital, resources, and infrastructure.

The administration also acknowledged that female

participation in STEM-related areas is critical to

meeting this nationwide objective, [13]. Female

mentors are essential for encouraging female

participation in STEM fields, [14]. Malaysia's lack

of representation of women and girls in STEM-

related fields has serious ramifications for economic

growth and social development, limiting the

country's ability to innovate, compete, and thrive in

a rapidly changing global economy that increasingly

relies on scientific and technological advancements.

2 Research Question and Aim

The research question, "What factors enhance and

empower women/females in STEM education and

jobs?" serves as the guiding inquiry for this study.

The primary objective is to comprehensively

investigate and understand the multifaceted factors

influencing the participation and empowerment of

women in STEM fields.

3 Methods

A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was used in

this study by using Procedure Research Inventory

Systematic Material Analysis (PRISMA). The SLR

perspective is a thorough and structured research

approach used in academia and other fields to

gather, assess, and synthesize current scholarly

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literature on a specific topic, research question, or

area of interest. Simultaneously, systematic reviews

are mostly used for the analysis to determine what is

known, what remains unclear, uncertainty

surrounding findings, and recommendations for

practices and future research, [15]. The stages of the

systematic review research procedure are as follows:

a. Identification

The systematic review commences by doing a

comprehensive search across many databases,

including Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar,

Emerald, and ProQuest to locate and collect all

relevant articles, conference proceedings, book

chapters, and reports. The search terms used to find

articles are "women in STEM education" and

"STEM education and female students". The study

identified a set of 648 articles where 300 are

excluded from the sources due to duplicate records,

as depicted in Figure 1.

b. Screening

The criteria are specified for including or

eliminating papers based on their relevance, quality,

and fit for the research topic. From the 348 articles

identified from the sources, 200 articles were

excluded based on title and abstract. The other

criteria for article inclusion are i) related to

female/women students in STEM education, ii)

published in English, and iii) articles is open

accessed.

c. Eligibility

To maintain uniformity in the handling of the

documents, the articles were assessed by, [16].

However, the specific subject of this study was

determined in the initial stage of analysis by

conducting searches on titles, abstracts, and

keywords that aligned with the research questions,

while excluding irrelevant studies, [17]. 130 articles

are excluded for i) non-scholarly paper, ii) not

answering the research question, iii) review paper

without any research design and sample of

respondents, and iv) not fully accessed.

d. Included

Before the approval of the selected papers, the

complete texts of the papers underwent careful

examination and were extensively aligned with the

current study throughout the eligibility phase. After

the conclusion of each step, a total of 18 articles

were selected from the final evaluation. 18 articles

were used to identify the result of obstacles and

challenges among women in STEM education.

The eighteen articles were selected from various

countries including Spain, the United States,

Germany, Bangladesh, Israel, Switzerland, United

Kingdom. The authors put all the results in one table

(Table 1, Appendix) to get more understanding of

the results and conclusions obtained from these

articles. Moreover, the author compiled the articles

to build upon research in the field of this study

especially to understand the situation about the

participation of women/females among STEM

education. By building upon the results based on

assessment, there are three fields namely current

situation talent pool, women in STEM education,

and women in STEM career. The final step for this

analysis is to report findings and discussion as the

ultimate aim.

Fig. 1: The Process of Searching Articles

4 Results

The findings of this study were derived from a

comprehensive analysis of 18 papers, resulting in

the identification of three distinct categories about

the factors influencing the current state of women in

STEM education and occupation.

4.1 Current Situation Talent Pool

According to, [12], there is a significant disparity in

employment rates based on education and gender

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among women, particularly at the basic and

secondary education levels (Figure 2). The

employment rate for women is considerably lower

compared to men in these contexts. Despite being

the most advanced group at the postsecondary level,

the current situation in STEM education requires

increased participation from this group, [18].

Figure 3 illustrates the Human Capital Index for

Malaysia about other Asian countries. It is evident

that Malaysia's human capital is comparatively

lower than that of Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and

Singapore. This emphasizes the need to promptly

adopt strategies to enhance human resources,

particularly women, to stimulate economic

development in the nation.

Furthermore, Malaysia's performance in

knowledge worker preparedness has been

inadequate from 2016 to 2020, despite

improvements in higher education completion and

knowledge absorption (Figure 4). Furthermore, it

suggests that the industry cannot develop beyond its

supplier network, [12]. There has historically been a

lack of female students pursuing STEM courses at

the university level, especially in the subject of

engineering, [32].

Fig. 2: Malaysian Employed Based on Education

and Gender, [2].

Fig. 3: Human capital Index Comparison against

selected Countries in Asia, [2].

Fig. 4: Progress of Malaysian Talent Capital in the

Global Innovation Index Report, [2].

Based on the analysis from the previous

research in Table 1 (Appendix) represents how the

problem of talent pool not only happen in Malaysia.

The findings of studies on the current state of the

STEM talent pool highlight the pervasive

underrepresentation of women, and emphasize the

resulting economic and social inequities, [10].

Examining the German context, [22], it discovered

that ongoing national programs aimed at increasing

women's participation in STEM, resulted in higher

rates but ongoing challenges exist. Furthermore,

global perspectives in most countries emphasize

that, girls outperform boys in science, revealing a

"gender-equality paradox" influenced by a variety of

social factors, [26]. STEM programmes is

contributing to higher female graduation rates in

STEM disciplines, indicating concerted efforts to

close the gender gap in the STEM talent pool, [27].

4.2 Women in STEM Education

The Malaysia Women Policy of 1989 was amended

in 2009 and became the Malaysia Women Policy of

2009, [33]. This Policy maintains the original

purpose set by the MWP in 1989, while also

acknowledging and dealing with present limitations

and challenges. The objective of the MWP 2009 is

to enhance human capital by promoting women's

competence, resilience, knowledge, innovation,

creativity, and ingenuity while upholding moral

norms. This strategy also encompasses measures to

facilitate the readiness for a rise in female labor-

force involvement, considering that women

constitute 50% of the overall workforce, [33], [34].

These studies shed light on critical aspects of

women's participation in STEM education. The

effects of mentoring on female high school students

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were investigated and found that they are more

sensitive to STEM issues, [1]. Moreover, the

challenges and opportunities for young female

learners in Bangladesh were investigated and

focused on the low proportion of female

stakeholders in STEM fields, [18]. Other than that,

the study shows how exposure to female role

models and gender-equitable teaching strategies

improved attitudes toward STEM and increased

enrolment in advanced courses, [20]. Contrariwise,

[25], adds to our understanding of the factors that

influence young women's decisions to pursue

computer science-related fields, highlighting the

critical roles of encouragement and exposure in

shaping these educational choices.

Developing inclusive and fair STEM education

opportunities for women is crucial not only for

achieving gender parity, but also for unleashing the

complete capabilities of human resources, fostering

economic advancement, and catalyzing innovation

in the present era and beyond. Based on a few

studies, women's earnings in STEM occupations are

10% lower than those of males, taking into account

several career-related characteristics, [35], [36]. The

drive to assess the present condition of STEM about

girls and women has emerged due to ongoing

concerns about the profession's sluggish progress

towards achieving SDGs 4 and 5. These goals aim

to promote gender equality and empower all women

and girls, [2].

The recognition of poor self-esteem as a key

factor in the declining interest of female students in

STEM disciplines is growing. This is because low

self-esteem can lead to a lack of confidence in their

ability to succeed in these professions, ultimately

resulting in lower levels of female participation and

representation in STEM jobs. The most significant

challenge for female STEM students is a lack of

self-efficacy, [37]. Women with STEM careers are a

substantially higher probability than professional

women to quit their occupations, [18].

Female individuals holding STEM degrees

demonstrated a higher probability of being engaged

in occupations that include providing care, such as

healthcare and education, during the initial and

middle stages of their professional lives, [38].

The significance of female role models in

empowering female students in educational

institutions, such as schools and universities, cannot

be exaggerated. These role models act as a catalyst

for inspiration and motivation, encouraging young

girls to actively pursue their aspirations and

ambitions, [20]. The study found that female

positive role models and gender equality lectures

have a favorable impact on empowering women in

STEM education, particularly in three key areas,

[29]. Women who have degrees in STEM fields are

more inclined to work in occupations that include

caring for others, such as teaching and healthcare,

during the early and middle stages of their careers,

[21].

Intervention is required to create a family-

friendly environment that is accepting and affirming

of women who work and have a family, [39]. The

significance of STEM-related parents' occupations

in supporting women's participation in certain

STEM professions is emphasized, [40]. The gender

disparity in STEM education and employment is of

ultimate importance due to the loss in abilities,

perspectives, prospective advancements, and total

workforce capacity, [2].

Fig. 5: Human Resources Development 2020, [2]

Figure 5 illustrates the government's objective

to create 1.3 million STEM employment across

many industries by 2020. Additionally, it aims to

develop infrastructure and promote the

establishment of industrial clusters. To address the

challenges and objectives of a knowledge-based

economy in 2020, Malaysia places a high emphasis

on STEM education as a means of attaining the

needed quantity of STEM workers. Women, being

roughly 50% of the population, are

underrepresented in the labor force.

4.3 Women in STEM Career

STEM occupations are currently marked by an

increasing need for skilled professionals and a

significant shortage of qualified individuals to

occupy these roles. Consequently, there is a demand

for taking action to tackle these difficulties and

foster increased diversity and inclusivity in STEM

professions. Women in STEM professions earned a

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salary that was 33% higher compared to women in

non-STEM fields, [41]. This skills gap has created a

challenging scenario for employers, as they struggle

to recruit and retain talent in a highly competitive

job market. Additionally, the STEM workforce is

lacking in diversity, with marginalized groups such

as women and minorities disproportionately

underrepresented.

The availability of female role models in STEM

higher education careers is concentrated,

emphasizing the importance of role models in

addressing women's underrepresentation, [14].

Otherwise, it revealed differences in obtaining

graduate-level employment and managerial

positions when compared to their male counterparts

to investigate the career paths of female STEM

graduates in the UK labor market, [21]. Other than

that, the study found that women in STEM have

lower self-efficacy during college and discussed

factors such as interest and occupational selection

that influence women's decisions to pursue STEM

majors, [29]. Additionally, women's retention in

STEM and professional occupations compared and

unfolded a trend in which women in STEM are

more likely to leave the field early in their careers,

underlining the need for additional research into

retention factors, [31].

The rising competitiveness among STEM

students has resulted from the increasing demand

for STEM jobs, underscoring the significance of

continuous learning and the development of new

skills to remain competent in the sector. STEM

students displayed greater mathematical proficiency

and emphasized the relevance of participating in

research activities, [42]. STEM is integrally linked

to Malaysia's economic development to generate

prosperity and prepare the country to become a

developed country through 2020, [32]. Female

community-based university STEM students have

educational and career aspirations, as well as

discovering interactions and experiences with, [42].

Female educators can exert a substantial impact in

motivating women to seek and excel in fields where

women are underrepresented, as stated in reference,

[43].

Addressing the gender gap in solving equity

problems among female students in STEM requires

creating a supportive and inclusive environment in

both the workplace and college. Improvements in

the workplace and educational environment are

required before women can fully engage in

engineering and computing careers, [44].

Community colleges also educate the forthcoming

generations of female scientists, engineers, and

mathematicians, [45]. Empowering women in

STEM requires collective action and cooperation

among all parties, including society and community,

to break down barriers and promote gender equality

in education and the workforce.

Fig. 6: Employed Individual by Skilled Occupation

2001-2019, [2.

Meeting the demand for skilled labor in STEM

fields in Malaysia is crucial, and empowering more

women to pursue and surpass these careers can help

address the skills gap and promote economic growth

and innovation. The Policy intends to appropriately

strengthen women in STEM so that they can

compete and are not side-lined in national growth,

[32]. According to Figure 6, the majority of

Malaysian jobs are semi-skilled, meaning that

Malaysian industries operate at the middle to bottom

of the global value chain. Malaysia's productivity

suffers as a result, and the country is trapped in the

middle-income trap, [12]. Establishing a STEM

orientation amongst young women can help to

enhance their social identity viewpoint for careers in

STEM disciplines. When young women are exposed

to STEM environments, they face barriers to

participation and inclusion, [46].

5 Discussion

Malaysia has significant gender disparities in STEM

education and jobs, emphasizing the critical need for

targeted initiatives to close these gaps. This article

investigates effective solutions for reducing

disparities and promoting gender equality in STEM

disciplines. Several issues are discussed, including

the role of industry engagement, government

policies, problems and opportunities, educational

changes, role models, family-friendly initiatives,

and changing social norms and stereotypes.

Industry engagement and collaboration: The

industry's role in promoting diversity and inclusivity

in STEM professions is discussed, with an

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investigation into how collaboration between

educational institutions and industries can open up

more opportunities for women in STEM. This

collaborative approach seeks to make the STEM

workforce more inclusive and supportive.

Government policies and initiatives: The role of

government policies, such as the Malaysia Women

Policy of 2009, in encouraging women to pursue

STEM careers is critical. Figure 6 depicts the

effectiveness of the government's goal of creating

STEM jobs and developing infrastructure, revealing

the impact of policy initiatives on the ground.

Problems and opportunities: It is critical to

identify the challenges that female STEM students

and professionals face. The article also discusses the

promising outcomes of increasing women's

representation in STEM, highlighting the positive

impact on overall workforce capability and future

breakthroughs.

Educational reforms: Examining the need for

educational reforms, particularly at the K-12 and

university levels, becomes critical in encouraging

more female students to pursue STEM courses.

Addressing the underlying causes and instituting

inclusive educational practices can pave the way for

a more gender-balanced STEM landscape.

Role models and mentoring: The significance of

female role models in STEM is investigated, with a

focus on how they inspire and motivate young girls

to pursue STEM careers. Furthermore, the

discussion includes mentoring programs that

involve both students and industry professionals, to

determine how such initiatives can provide critical

support for female STEM students, using

multimethod approaches as used in previous

researches in varied investigations fields, [47], [48].

Family-Friendly policies and their economic

consequences: The significance of creating a family-

friendly environment for working women with

families is discussed, as well as an examination of

how the careers of STEM-related parents influence

females in STEM engagement. Examining the

economic consequences of gender disparities in

STEM fields, such as the skills gap and productivity

issues, sheds light on the broader implications for

Malaysia's position in the global value chain.

Changing social norms and stereotypes: Societal

norms, gender roles, and cultural values all have a

large impact on Malaysian women's decision to

pursue STEM careers. The significance of breaking

down gender stereotypes in mathematics and

science is stressed, as well as creating an

environment that encourages more women to pursue

STEM degrees.

6 Conclusion

Ultimately, this research emphasizes the

significance of tackling the disparity in gender

representation in STEM education and employment

opportunities in Malaysia. This study offers

valuable insights into the barriers and possibilities

of achieving gender equality in STEM fields by

investigating the factors that impact female students'

attitudes and involvement in STEM education. The

study's findings have substantial ramifications for

policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders

who are invested in promoting gender equality in

education and the workplace.

Policymakers may promote the development of

inclusive and equitable education systems that

stimulate creativity, innovation, and economic

growth by tackling the cultural, social, and

institutional obstacles that impede female students'

involvement in STEM disciplines. Moreover, this

study establishes the foundation for forthcoming

research that will build upon these discoveries and

explore novel avenues for enhancing gender parity

in STEM education and occupations in Malaysia.

Furthermore, it highlights the significance of

cooperation among governmental entities,

educational establishments, and industry

collaborators in tackling the systemic elements that

contribute to the underrepresentation of women in

STEM careers.

In conclusion, this study displays the imperative

of promoting gender equality in STEM disciplines,

not just for the advancement of women themselves,

but also for the overall betterment of the economy

and society. By promoting the advancement of

women in STEM fields, we can cultivate a

workforce that is more diverse, inclusive, and

innovative, therefore equipping it to effectively

tackle the problems of the twenty-first century.

Acknowledgments:

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial

support of the National Funds provided by FCT—

Foundation for Science and Technology to

VALORIZA—Research Center for Endogenous

Resource Valorization (project UIDB/05064/2020).

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APPENDIX

Table 1. Women/Females in STEM Fields

Author(s)

Title

Methods

Sample

Findings

[1]

Mentoring female high school

students for a STEM career.

Quasi experiment

- Mentors (University

students)

- Mentee (Student aged

between 15-16)

The main findings were that there was a lot

of interest in the mentors' talks, with male

students paying more attention and being

more open to questions and interventions.

Furthermore, despite low participation and

interest in the topics discussed, there was a

surprising sensitization of the female group

to STEM issues.

[8]

The roles of teachers, classroom

experiences, and finding

balance: A qualitative

perspective on the experiences

and expectations of females

within STEM and non-STEM

careers.

Qualitative

N = 60

The influence of family and work/life

balance on career decisions. The impact of

teachers and classroom experiences on

career aspirations. STEM subject interest

and perceived value as a factor in career

decision-making.

[10]

Growing the roots of STEM

majors: Female math and

science high school faculty and

the participation of students in

STEM

Quantitative

N = 21, 340

(9, 320 young men)

(12, 020 young women)

The underrepresentation of women in

science, technology, engineering, and

mathematics (STEM) fields is problematic

because of the economic and social

inequities it fosters, as well as the growing

global importance of STEM occupations.

Although the proportion of female math and

science teachers at a school does not affect

male students, it has a significant impact on

female students' likelihood of declaring and

graduating with a STEM degree, with the

effects being greatest for female students

with the best math skills.

[14]

Providing female role models in

STEM higher education careers,

a teaching experience.

Quantitative

N = 205 female

bachelor degree student

Emphasizes the underrepresentation of

women in STEM careers and the importance

of female role models in broadening

participation in these fields. It also highlights

initiatives aimed at empowering female

students and shattering sexist stereotypes.

[18]

Challenges and opportunities for

young female learners in STEM

from the perspective of

Bangladesh.

Qualitative

N = 100 female students

with three teachers as a

mentor

The main findings are the low percentage of

female stakeholders in STEM fields in

Bangladesh, the visibility of gender disparity

from the beginning of the educational

journey, and the specific gender disparity in

the Mathematics Olympiad.

[19]

The gender gap in STEM fields:

The impact of the gender

stereotype of math and science

on secondary students’ career

aspirations.

Cross-Sectional

Study

N = 78 of Swiss

secondary school

student

Maths is thought to be the most masculine

subject, followed by physics and chemistry.

While male students rated all subjects

equally strongly as masculine, maths is

significantly more strongly associated with

masculinity than chemistry and physics. In

terms of masculinity attribution, chemistry

and physics do not differ significantly.

[20]

Women in STEM: Female role

model and gender-equitable

teaching strategies.

Observational

study

89 samples of young

women in elective

secondary (9-12 years)

Female students' attitudes towards STEM

improved after they were exposed to female

role models and gender-equitable teaching

strategies. More female students chose

advanced STEM courses this year than in the

previous two years. Participants expressed

increased optimism and hope for the future.

[21]

From subject choice to career

path: Female STEM graduates in

the UK labor market.

Mix-method

N = 17,000

Female STEM graduates were less likely to

obtain graduate-level employment, work in

HS STEM jobs, or hold managerial positions

than their male counterparts. Gender

differences in the relationship between the

degree subject studied and occupational

outcome were observed. A STEM degree

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E-ISSN: 2224-2899

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Author(s)

Title

Methods

Sample

Findings

was more important for women than men in

terms of gaining graduate level employment

and working in an HS STEM role, but it was

associated with a lower likelihood of

working in a managerial or professional role.

[22]

Gender and STEM in Germany:

Policies enhancing women's

participation in academia.

Quantitative

N = 4,663

In Germany, national programs to increase

women's participation in STEM fields have

been established, resulting in increased

participation rates but remaining low.

Initiatives to attract women to STEM fields

have a positive influence on female students'

decisions to pursue STEM fields, but they

have a low level of professional integration.

Women are underrepresented in STEM

fields, with the greatest drop occurring

during habilitation. However, the proportion

of women decreases only by six percentage

points from first-year student to professor.

[23]

Majoring in STEM what

accounts for women’s career

decision making? A mixed

methods study

Mix-method

N = 843 female high

student

The findings revealed a high level of

persistence in students' intentions to pursue a

career in STEM fields. In comparison to

students who majored in the social sciences

or humanities, STEM students demonstrated

stronger mathematical skills and a

preference for engaging in investigative

activities. According to qualitative analysis,

learning experiences, parental support, and

role models influenced female students'

choice of studies.

[24]

Is it a Female Role-Model Thing

Quantitative

304 girls from 12 years

(sixth primary grade) to

16 years old (fourth

secondary grade)

The main findings are that girls' expectations

of success in maths, enjoyment of maths,

and importance of maths, as well as their

likelihood of choosing a STEM career, are

significantly increased by exposure to

female role models in STEM fields. The

research will help the Inspiring Girls

Foundation (IGF) improve the effectiveness

of its role-model program right away. The

study demonstrates the role-model sessions'

effectiveness in reducing gender stereotypes,

increasing enjoyment and importance-related

values, and strengthening the direct effect of

success expectations on girls' STEM

choices.

[25]

Gender Differences in Factors

Influencing Pursuit of Computer

Science and Related Fields

Quantitative

N = 1,739

Encouragement and exposure are the most

influential factors in young women's

decisions to pursue computer science-related

fields, with social encouragement being

significantly stronger for women than for

men. The majority of decisions about

pursuing computer science-related fields are

made before a young woman begins college,

demonstrating the importance of pre-college

experiences in influencing this decision.

[26]

The Gender-Equality Paradox in

Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Mathematics

Education.

Quantitative

N = 472,242 (67

Nations)

In most countries, girls performed similarly

to or better than boys in science - The

educational gender equality paradox is

driven by both distal and proximal social

factors. Countries with lower levels of

gender equality had more women among

STEM graduates than countries with higher

levels of gender equality.

[27]

Gender Diversity in STEM

Disciplines: A Multiple Factor

Problem.

Quantitative

N = 11,809

The program has contributed to higher

female graduation rates, particularly among

Bachelor students, and has increased the

number of faculty women in positions of

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Rui Alexandre Castanho, Luís Loures

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Author(s)

Title

Methods

Sample

Findings

power. On average and year after year, the

ETSE-UV is higher than the Spanish

reference value. The ETSE-UV has an

average value of 15.12% graduated female

students, which is higher than the Spanish

reference values.

[28]

Encouraging Girls into Science

and Technology with Feminine

Role Model: Does This Work?

Quasi-

experimental

N = 90

The program aimed to encourage girls in

Israel to pursue STEM careers. The findings

indicated respect for women scientists as

smart and creative, but a significant negative

change in perceptions of women

scientists/engineers, STEM capability, and

STEM career options. The paper discusses

possible explanations for these findings as

well as their educational implications.

[29]

The STEM Pathway for Women.

Quantitative

N = 360

In college, women had lower self-efficacy in

STEM, and fewer women chose STEM

majors. For both men and women, interest

was a major factor in occupational selection.

Women outnumber men in fields such as

biology, while men outnumber women in

fields such as engineering and

physics/astronomy. A higher proportion of

older women stated that they left STEM

because of a lack of flexible hours and the

need to attend to family responsibilities.

[30]

Returning from earning: UK

graduates returning to

postgraduate study, with

particular respect to STEM

subjects, gender, and ethnicity

Mix-method

N = 22,207

Graduates returning for taught postgraduate

study do so primarily as a result of

underemployment following graduation.

STEM graduates were far less likely to

pursue taught postgraduate studies.

[31]

What’s So Special about STEM?

A Comparison of Women’s

Retention in STEM and

Professional Occupations.

Mix-method

N = 1,258

The findings show that women in STEM

occupations are significantly more likely

than professional women to leave their

occupational field, particularly early in their

careers, and that job characteristics cannot

account for the disproportionate loss of

STEM workers. According to the paper,

future research should concentrate on the

first few years of employment in STEM

jobs.

Contribution of Individual Authors to the

Creation of a Scientific Article (Ghostwriting

Policy)

The authors equally contributed to the present

research, at all stages from the formulation of the

problem findings to the final findings and solution.

Sources of Funding for Research Presented in a

Scientific Article or Scientific Article Itself

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

(Attribution 4.0 International, CC BY 4.0)

This article is published under the terms of the

Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en

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