New She Figures Report highlights slow progress in gender equality in R&I

On 11 February 2025, the European Commission released the latest edition of the 'She Figures' report, presenting the latest Europe-wide statistics on gender equality in research and innovation.

The figures show that women outnumber men in university education, but they remain clearly underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers and leadership. The report reveals a widening gender gap in critical sectors such as ICT, where only 22% of doctoral graduates are women. This not only deepens the EU’s existing skills shortages but also endangers long-term competitiveness. Gender disparities persist at the highest levels of research and innovation, with just 9% of inventors being women, and 98% of EU research failing to integrate a gender dimension.

These findings echo concerns raised by the Draghi report on EU Competitiveness, which emphasised the need for a diverse and inclusive workforce to boost Europe's economic growth. The EU has made significant steps in promoting gender equality in R&I, including introducing a Gender Equality Plan eligibility criterion for Horizon Europe.

Despite some progress, gender imbalances remain pronounced. For instance, only 38% of researchers in Horizon Europe projects are women, though women make up more than 51% of participants in evaluation committees. The EU continues efforts to bridge these gaps, including promoting the inclusion of a gender dimension in 81% of R&I project calls.

Future initiatives will address gender-based violence in academia and bolster the Women TechEU initiative to support women-led deep-tech start-ups.

The 2024 She Figures Report can be downloaded here:

EC News