Girls4STEM - Digital immersion day for girls
Girls4STEM is a project aimed at promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) vocations, especially among girls, through the organisation of outreach activities.
We want to make known what we, the people who work in STEM fields, dedicate our day-to-day lives to.
Theme: Promoting digital careers
Phase and Stage: STEM – Secondary education
Action: Investment and funding
Beneficiaries: Schools; Private companies; Public institutions; Girls only; Parents
Users: Policy makers; Education providers; Private companies; NGOs/Society
Girls4STEM-Digital Immersion Day for Girls is the key deliverable of the FSE project “Girls Deploy your Talents” which aims to allow 15- and 16-years old girls to shed a new light on STEM disciplines and overcome the gender stereotypes associated with them, through building partnerships between schools and businesses. The project runs over two years and is financed by FSE funding and ministries. In this initiative, a mentor in a business or public administration guides a small group of girls (2-3) through a key working process, where STEM or IT knowledge is an important knowledge factor. The girls are given a challenge to resolve and to present to a jury. The matchmaking process to find motivated organizations and schools to participate in such partnerships is managed by a CSR specialized association, IMS Luxembourg, under the guidance of a steering body that comprises our Department of media, connectivity and digital policy of the Ministry of State (SMC), the Educational and Vocational Guidance Centre, Ministry of Education and the Ministry for Gender Equality and Diversity. The initiative is labelled for girls, but boys are allowed to participate. During several events with national and international keynotes to promote STEM for girls, some of the participating groups present their challenge and the solution they provided. The project has started in September 2025 and is to be continued over 2 years.
THE CHALLENGE
The project addresses the persistent gender gap in digital professions, particularly the low share of girls among future ICT specialists, which is a core challenge under the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030. It responds to the need for gender convergence in STEM and ICT fields by creating hands-on experiences that connect girls aged 15–16 with real-world digital tasks and female role models in business and public administration. The initiative tackles stereotypes and early self-selection out of tech pathways, which are key barriers to digital inclusion, and promotes equal access to digital education, career guidance, and skills development, in line with the Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles.
OUR SOLUTION
We will address more in detail specific organisational challenges and solutions after the first year of “Girls Deploy Your Talents”, in September 2026
OUTCOMES
- The immersive approach will show girls the interest of digital and technical tools to solve problems, to innovate, and to organise work processes
- Compensate the lack of self-confidence, and let the girls experiment and find ideas to create and solve problems with the help of digital tools
- The initiative tackles stereotypes and early self-selection out of tech pathways, which are key barriers to digital inclusion, and promotes equal access to digital education, career guidance, and skills development
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Key takeaways will follow in September 2026
