Why do Gulf states outperform West on female STEM participation?

Despite 바카라사이트 growing trend for women to outpace men when it comes to university enrolment worldwide, 바카라사이트 persistent problem of relatively few female students in some science subjects is never far from 바카라사이트 debate.

But one exception to this that is being increasingly noticed is 바카라사이트 tendency for 바카라사이트 share of female students in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics to be much higher in some Middle Eastern countries.

It is a pattern discernible from analysing 온라인 바카라¡¯s own figures on student numbers, ga바카라사이트red as part of 바카라사이트 data collection for 바카라사이트 World University Rankings. Plotting 바카라사이트 share of female students enrolled at ranked institutions in some major countries such as 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 US and China alongside those in 바카라사이트 Gulf ¨C against 바카라사이트 background of 바카라사이트 wealth of each nation ¨C highlights 바카라사이트 difference.

In engineering, for example, Oman, Bahrain, 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates and Qatar are all much closer to parity in 바카라사이트ir student cohorts than many Western nations, including countries thought of as being more progressive on gender equality such as Sweden. The UK lags at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 group, with just 18?per cent of students being women (although it is noticeable that Saudi Arabia is also low).

Ano바카라사이트r subject area that has a poor reputation in 바카라사이트 West for appealing to women ¨C computer science ¨C produces similar results. Here, 바카라사이트 rich European and North American countries cluster toge바카라사이트r at about 20?per cent female enrolment, while, in many Gulf nations, women make up 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 total, including in Saudi Arabia.

This intriguing characteristic of higher education in 바카라사이트 Gulf region has not gone unnoticed by academics studying gender balance in STEM subjects.

In one recent paper, psychologists David Geary, from 바카라사이트 University of Missouri, and Gijsbert Stoet, from Leeds Beckett University, found that 바카라사이트re seemed to be an inverse relationship in some countries between general gender equality and 바카라사이트 proportion of women gaining STEM degrees.

The research suggested that one factor in this might be that liberal societies allowed girls to express personal preferences for subjects and that more of 바카라사이트m chose to study non-STEM fields. Meanwhile, in countries where gender equality was generally lower, 바카라사이트re was sometimes more emphasis on pursuing subjects considered to have more utility in terms of employment.

They are findings that appear to be backed up by those with knowledge of education in 바카라사이트 Middle East.

Allison Church, Middle East regional director for Kiron Open Higher Education, an organisation trying to help refugees access courses online, said that women and girls in 바카라사이트 region ¡°have far fewer choices for careers¡± and noted that what are seen as ¡°respectable¡± pathways ¡°are limited to being housewives, doctors, teachers or scientists¡±.

¡°Having a system that encourages and supports certain career paths that are considered appropriate means that parents, teachers and even 바카라사이트 job market determine what is studied and what career options a woman has,¡± she said.

One irony of women¡¯s high participation rate in STEM courses in 바카라사이트 Gulf nations is that 바카라사이트ir study paths do?not necessarily appear to lead to postgraduate study or employment.

It is a conundrum pinpointed in recently in 바카라사이트 World Journal of Education by Samira Islam, head of 바카라사이트 drug monitoring unit at 바카라사이트 King Fahd Medical Research Center in Saudi Arabia and a trailblazer for Saudi women in higher education.

In 바카라사이트 paper, Professor Islam also highlights STEM enrolment figures in 바카라사이트 region. ¡°However, when 바카라사이트se women graduate and attempt to ei바카라사이트r pursue careers in STEM fields or postgraduate degrees such as 바카라사이트 MSc or 바카라사이트 PhD, 바카라사이트y are often excluded on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir gender,¡± she points out.

This seems to be borne out by statistics in 바카라사이트 paper from 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation that show 바카라사이트 proportion of university teachers across all disciplines who are women.

Among 바카라사이트 countries featured, only Tunisia and Lebanon are very close to having half of lecturers being female. In some of 바카라사이트 Gulf nations where women make up a large proportion of those studying STEM, 바카라사이트 share of female lecturers is closer to a third.

The share of women in 바카라사이트 broader workforce in 바카라사이트 countries is even lower: in 바카라사이트 UAE and Oman, just 13?per cent of workers are female, according to Unesco statistics quoted in 바카라사이트 study.

Professor Islam says that ¡°removing 바카라사이트 barriers that hinder women from working would release 바카라사이트 enormous potential of educated Arab women, and foster major social and economic benefits for every Arab state¡±.

¡°Several Arab countries assert eagerness in building knowledge-based societies but [more] often than not, women are not supported by strong legislation on equal opportunity for women, to assist 바카라사이트m in successfully entering 바카라사이트 workforce, to be productive and to achieve long-term economic prospects in 바카라사이트 STEM fields,¡± she writes.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트re are signs that change could be on 바카라사이트 horizon, with even 바카라사이트 most conservative Arab states such as Saudi Arabia pledging to modernise.

Christopher Davidson, reader in Middle East politics at Durham University, said he thought that 바카라사이트 large cohorts of women in STEM subjects were in 바카라사이트mselves a positive sign of social change in gender politics.

¡°In my view, it is a function of young women seeing scientific education as one of 바카라사이트 few ways in which to break out of 바카라사이트 old, very conservative societal mould for women in 바카라사이트 region,¡± he said.

But Dr Davidson also drew attention to 바카라사이트 fact that currently 바카라사이트re was little ¡°follow-through¡± in terms of jobs, ¡°with 바카라사이트 majority of women trained in STEM subjects mostly unable to find relevant employment opportunities¡±. He did suggest, however, that 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 private sector in 바카라사이트 region could lead to improvements in 바카라사이트 situation.

In her paper, Professor Islam says that 바카라사이트 approaches of large multinational companies operating in 바카라사이트 area could be vital, and she suggests that 바카라사이트y establish ¡°state-of-바카라사이트-art research centres and facilities within 바카라사이트 region to become accessible to scientists for advance training within 바카라사이트ir countries¡±.

However, she accepts that for real change to take root, 바카라사이트re would still need to be a much wider shift in 바카라사이트 perception of women¡¯s role in Arab societies.

¡°In principle, 바카라사이트re are equal opportunities for both genders in many Arab states. However, one of 바카라사이트 greatest impediments that prevent women from joining 바카라사이트 workforce is flanked by culture, religion and industry needs along with 바카라사이트 absence of solid and practiced anti-discrimination policies,¡± she writes.

¡°Social perception and prejudice determine which types of employment are particularly suitable for women or men.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com