The association EWMD European women's management development (European association for women's management training) delegation of Reggio Emilia in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Modena and Reggio leads an initiative on the digital gender gap to promote the active role of women in working environments linked to new technologies . Numerous studies have highlighted the scarce presence of women in sectors linked to technological innovation at both an Italian and international level. All the data show that women are scarcely involved in the proposal of new technologies, services and IT applications. The society of the 21st century, pervaded by information technology at all levels, will not be able to improve without the contribution of the ideas, skills and dreams of the world's population.
The "Digital Girls" project is aimed at fourth year high school students and is implemented through two actions:
1) The Computer Engineering Degree Course of the University of Modena and Reggio has created a four-week summer campus starting on 16 June 2014 to gradually introduce girls to new technologies and methodologies for creating digital services. Workshops oriented towards multimedia, computer security and open software are foreseen. All girls will be able to bring out their inclinations towards technology, but above all they will learn to exploit technology to realize their inclinations.
2) The Reggio Emilia delegation of EWMD carries out a cultural support activity through a series of meetings aimed at the high schools of the Provinces and of Modena and Reggio, trying to make girls aware of career prospects in sectors related to information technology and promoting the training activity of the Summer School. During the conferences, gender policy experts will talk to girls about gender stereotypes that unknowingly influence the choice of university studies. Women protagonists of innovation will intervene as speakers to provide female role models different from those that society conveys on a daily basis.
The first conference will take place in Reggio Emilia on November 22 Aula Magna of the University (the poster is attached) . The second in Modena in May 2014 at the Faculty of Engineering.
Networking with institutions, with local companies and with large global technological partners is essential so that the initiative can continue long enough to produce the first results. The initiative is sponsored by the Municipalities of Modena and Reggio and the Provinces of Modena and Reggio.
Cristina Bertoli And Nadia Caraffi, EWMD delegation of Reggio Emilia,
Prof. Michele Colajanni, Computer Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio