Associate professor of Budapest University of Technology and Economics

1. MÁRIA PALASIK PhD WOMEN IN SET IN EUROPEAN UNION AND HUNGARY palasik@goliat.eik.bme.hu Associate professor of Budapest University of Technology and Economics

2. The structure of my lecture • Situation of female students in SET (Science, Engineering and Technology) in EU • Situation of female students and women in SET in Hungary • A European network to supportfemale students and women in SET (WITEC)

3. Situation of female students in SET in European Union • Across the EU the numbers of females studying SET (Science, Engineering and Technology) although improving, remain lower than the desirable level • Only 26% of students in mathematics and computer science are female, and women represent just 20% of students in engineering and architecture = average of EU 15

4. Situation in Hungary • Revolutionary changes have occurred in the area of education in the last few years: between 1990 and 2003, the number of students in higher education increased almost by three and a half times. The number of female students grew almost by four times and their share among university students reached 56,6%. This means that educational disadvantages that women had earlier has disappeared in the last two decades. The proportion of female students increased considerably even in areas that earlier were considered as “traditional male areas”: more than 30% of students of universities and colleges of agriculture are women and 26% of students of technological higher education are women

5. Regular students in technical universities (Hungary, 1958-2003)

6. „Feminine” jobs • Analyzing professionals earning a degree in each profession from the aspect of gender share, one can state that certain professions have become “feminine” • Withinthe sphere of education, in 1990 women represented 69.3 percent • Data from 1990 show that women’s presence passed the 50 percent in other fields: trade, economic, medical science • „Feminine” jobs are related to earnings: a possible explanation could be that women earning a degree could work only in jobs with relatively low salaries, because men simply abandoned these jobs

7. Remarkable item • There is interesting data about the field of information technology which is a relatively new field of study. The number of men and women is similar: 44% of employees in this field are women • Question: We would like to know if why the number of female students in IT has decrised from 1985

8. Number of graduated female regular students at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics (1975-2000)

9. Women engineers in Hungary • Women engineers became definitely worse off after the change of the regime in 1990 • Problems of disappearing state-owned large industries and dismissals of workforce concerned mainly middle-aged women amongst engineers • Their job opportunities worsened, as well: new companies seek young employees and often avoid hiring women over 40 even if they have shown considerable professional or management success • The total number of scientists and engineers was 27 876 in 2000: 9537 female and 18 339 male. The share of women is 34.2%

10. About WiTEC • WiTEC is a European association, organized in 2001, consisting of national networks of universities, businesses and organisations working together to motivate, support and promote women within the sectors of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) • There are 14 countries who participate

11. What are the aims of Witec? • To increase the number of girls and women studying SET subjects and to help them progress to related careers • To develop women's technical and entrepreneurial skills through training initiatives and projects • To create information exchanges and networking opportunities for women in SET • To promote and support research into areas relating to women in science, engineering and technology (SET) • To support initiatives to promote the Gender-Mainstreaming-Policy

12. What are the activities of WiTEC? • Organising and/or acting as partner in international projects and organising various events which look to increase professional development and career opportunities, particularly for women • Arranging placements and scholarships for female students in foreign countries • Organising training and mentoring courses, seminars and conferences for professionals and employees, one example being the organisation of a conference that saw the participation of companies that encourage the promotion of women to senior positions

13. What are the activities of WiTEC? • Producing training material for courses (past courses have covered subjects such as: IT updating for women returning to work, multimedia courses, training in IT and flexible working) • Establishing links with scientific and technological organisations and with groups that promote women in and equality for women, thus contributing to a European dimension in training and industry

14. What are the activities of WiTEC? • Lobbying in Brussels at the European Committee and in the individual member countries • Disseminating results of projects and research related to women in SET on a wide range of subjects that concern women involved in science and technology, such as: issues of equality; education and training opportunities; access to industry; possibilities of promotion etc.

15. Projects Short Course Programme • The WiTEC network co-ordinated a program of several short courses for women • WiTEC has produced the European Guide of Best Practice in Educational Training, which details all the courses and gives an overview of the program

16. Structure • The Association structure should comprise of: • A) Central Board • B) Executive Committee • Secretariat • The membership of the Central Board shall be limited to one national representative per country

17. Executive Committee • The Executive Committee shall consist of a minimum of three members, the President, the General Secretary and the Treasurer • B) The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a 2 years term • The Executive Committee shall implement the resolutions adopted by the Central Board

18. In November 2002 a new Executive Board was elected. Now the Association is represented by: • Ms Cocky Booy - President • Ms Marina Larios - Treasurer • Ms Ute Wanzek - General Secretary

19. Contact • http://www.witec-eu.net • Ute WanzekWiTEC - European Association for Women in Science, Engineering and Technologyc/o G/I/S/AGender-Institut Sachsen-Anhalt GbREbendorfer Straße 3D-39108 MagdeburgGermanyTel: +49 391 50 665 77 /-60 (Sekr.)Fax: +49 391 50 665 70e-mail: info@witec.net

20. WITEC Hungary • Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BUTE) is a National Co-ordinator for WITEC in Hungary • With support from the university the national WiTEC secretariat was built up at the BUTE • BUTE is the largest university and the largest research centre of technology in Hungary • It won the membership of WITEC in October 2002 • Within the university WiTEC is hosted at the Department of Innovation Management and History of Technology. This department has 7 professors, who teach 3500 students – among which 300 are women per semester

21. WiTEC Hungary activities • In January – February 2004 WITEC Hungary organised a series of lectures about new results of the gender researches, about situation Women in Sciences and Technology • Search for opportunities for women scholars, engineers in Europe and in Hungary • Research project: Women at the Technical University of Budapest in the 20th century • Supporting students writing dissertations on this topic