About us

We are a Coordination and Support Action funded by the DIGITAL Programme of the EU. We are dedicated to bridging the gender gap in the digital and technology sectors. Our mission is to bring together key stakeholders across Europe to increase women’s participation in digital careers. We focus on identifying and promoting best practices, sharing knowledge, and fostering a more inclusive digital economy.

Contact us
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A man and woman stand side by side in front of a colorful purple and pink background, representing the spirit of inclusive innovation

The digital transformation is changing industries around the world, but there are still significant gender disparities in many tech fields. We play a vital role in tackling this challenge by promoting gender equality and inclusive innovation. By raising visibility, creating more opportunities, and encouraging engagement, we are helping to build a stronger and more diverse digital economy.

We know that gender-diverse teams drive more creative, sustainable, and impactful digital solutions.

a leaky pipeline

There is a need to address the Women in Digital challenge from both ends through a cultural change in representation and socialisation of girls and women in engineering and ICT.

Our approach aims to tap into existing networks and working groups, addressing the key gaps at each change of stage with an understanding in the participation of women in technical VET and professional training to advance the mission and not become a talking shop.

The Women in Digital initiative addresses the "leaky pipeline" by promoting cultural change and enhancing the representation of women in engineering and ICT. By focusing on existing networks and training, it aims to close gaps at each stage, ensuring women have meaningful participation and progress in technical careers

our objectives

We apply a collaborative approach, engaging universities, businesses, policymakers, and research institutions to gather insights, share best practices, and advocate for policies that support women’s advancement in digital sectors.

Emphasising evidence-based strategies and co-created solutions, ensuring that recommended actions align with industry needs and real-world experiences.

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Define a sustainable and adaptive data model and data collection methods for the identification of progress along the Women in Digital pipeline leveraging automation to provide efficient and scalable approaches

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Develop a robust and replicable index for measuring the progress of Women in Digital across EU-27 and relevant international references that facilitates the identification of best practice and the development of ac- cepted benchmarks by all stakeholders.

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Establish the foundational structure through the forum for identifying and tackling critical challenges in high-level formats, that further validate foundational data and identified best practices in supporting women’s involvement in ICT

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Provide clear activation of target profiles and communities to support the sustainability of the devel- oped Women in Digital Forum and drive impact through meaningful engagement with the reports, tools, guide- lines and best practices

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Develop a sustainable operation and financial model for the continued growth of the Women in Digital Forum with key sponsors and patrons from diverse stakeholder communities to ensure continued scaling.

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Establish a systematic library of best practices from MS initiatives, industry, education and training and third sector addressing each key phase and linked to data.

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Provide targeted analysis, actions and recommendations in the form of regular reports to support the delivery of the strategic policy objectives and widespread recognition of stand-out Working Groups and networks successes.

how are we going to achieve this?

Our methodology combines data collection and expert input from the Women in Digital Forum to produce annual reports, international benchmarks, guidance recommendations, and best practices. Each annual cycle focuses on sharing and validating results and recommendations.

A key tool is the Women in Digital Index and Scoreboard, which is based on collected data and research and serves as a reference for ongoing analysis in Women in Digital Thematic Working Groups.

The cycle focuses on ongoing activities, with priorities identified through collaboration with forum members and policymakers to address gaps. This approach allows WIDCON to remain agile, meeting evolving needs and delivering validated recommendations, ensuring continuous improvement with each cycle.

WIDCON's cycle emphasizes continuous improvement, with each annual cycle focused on collecting data, validating results, and addressing gaps. The process involves collaboration with forum members and policymakers, using the Women in Digital Index and Scoreboard to inform recommendations. This iterative cycle ensures that WIDCON stays agile, adapting to evolving needs and delivering validated guidance for sustained progress in women’s participation in digital sectors

expected milestones

WiD State of the Art

An extensive data collection and research exercise to understand the different levels/in- itiatives currently practiced by EU Member States to increase the number of women in ICT and generate more equality across genders in the sector.

Forum kick-off

Formed to address specific chal- lenges within the “leaky pipeline” of women in ICT, drive ex- pert engagement and deliver on policy directions and mu- tual cooperation.

Working Groups launched

The core mechanism for the collection of expert inputs and providing specific guidelines and recommendations related to the key points along the WiD Pipeline.

1st WiD annual summit

The one-day summit will consolidate the activities, insights and networks of the WIDCOM into a single focus that provides the reach and platform for relevant stakeholders and promote the coherence of the WiD Forum.

Index published

Identifying various metrics and indicators. Both secondary and primary research sources (quantitative and qualitative) will be used to establish the foundational findings of the index.

Annual Reports published

Enabling collaboration between academic institutions, businesses, and stakeholders to share effective strategies, tools, and insights for increasing women’s representation in digital innovation.

our partners

BluSpecs will define the overall approach and methodologies for developing the Women in Digital Index, ensuring its relevance, feasibility, and replicability across different countries. In this role, they will also oversee the production of annual reports, providing valuable insights and recommendations to key stakeholders. Additionally, BluSpecs will coordinate the validation of data collected throughout the project by involving experts from the Women in Digital Forum, ensuring the findings align with best practices and accurately reflect the gender gap in the ICT sector.

Responsible for creating and managing the Women in Digital Forum, a key platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange. They will lead efforts to map and engage key stakeholders from academia, civil society, and industry across the European Union. Their role includes organizing activities, such as workshops, webinars, and networking events, to engage stakeholders in discussions about improving women’s participation in the ICT sector. They will also facilitate the creation of specialized working groups to address specific challenges, such as promoting STEM education and creating inclusive workplace environments for women.

IDC Italia will take charge of gathering and analyzing data related to women in the ICT sector across the EU and beyond. They will systematically identify key initiatives that promote women in ICT, developing a robust and replicable index to measure progress in this area. Their responsibilities include conducting surveys, collecting quantitative indicators, and integrating various data sources to build comprehensive datasets. IDC will also be responsible for producing the annual updates of the Women in Digital Index, which will track and compare progress across member states.

IDC CEMA will support the data collection efforts, contributing to the development of the Women in Digital Index. Their role includes analyzing data on women’s participation in the ICT workforce, collecting information on gender gaps in education and employment, and providing insights into regional and international trends. Their contributions will help shape the findings of the project, ensuring they are comprehensive and reflect the diverse challenges faced by women in the ICT sector.

EIT Digital will focus on communication and impact activities for the project. They will develop and execute a communication strategy that promotes the Women in Digital Forum and its findings. EIT Digital will also work to ensure the sustainability of the forum by engaging stakeholders and securing sponsors for continued support. They will create a library of best practices from across the European Union and other regions, helping to establish clear guidelines for advancing women’s participation in ICT. Their efforts will include managing dissemination activities, such as newsletters, press releases, and social media campaigns, to raise awareness about the project and its impact.

The university will contribute to the project’s data collection and research efforts, particularly in the fields of engineering and computer science. They will provide insights into the educational aspects of women’s participation in ICT, focusing on how academic institutions can better support women in these fields. Their work will help inform the Women in Digital Index, particularly in areas related to education and skill development.

VT will play a significant role in the development of the Women in Digital Index. Their contributions will include research and data collection on the status of women in ICT, particularly in the context of technological education and industry engagement in Lithuania and other countries. They will help ensure that the Women in Digital Index includes valuable insights from Eastern European regions and supports initiatives that promote gender equality in the digital sector.

The organization will contribute to the data collection efforts, specifically focusing on the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing sectors. They will ensure that these important technological areas are well-represented in the Women in Digital Index, helping to highlight the growing role of women in these fields and address any barriers to their participation. Their expertise will support the project’s goal of creating a comprehensive view of women’s involvement in all aspects of the digital economy.

The network will support the project by providing insights into data-driven innovation and the role of artificial intelligence and big data in advancing women’s participation in the ICT sector. They will help to identify best practices and data sources related to gender equality in digital transformation and will contribute to the development of the Women in Digital Index. Their focus will be on leveraging data to drive sustainable change and foster innovation in the digital sector, ensuring that women are not left behind in the digital age

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