Cultural differences of female enrolment in tertiary education in computer science

Since the establishment of computer science courses within the last 30-40 years both female enrollment and its development differ strongly between various continents, countries, cultures, religions and languages. It is very remarkable that female participation is extremely low in German (and Dutch) speaking countries, in Scandinavian countries and Great Britain, but that this is not the case to the same extent within the other European countries. In many Western countries female participation in Computer Science courses had dropped since the 1970ies to the half or less. This has not occurred in semi-developed countries, like the South American ones, the rich Arabic countries, the Tiger states or India, nor has it occurred in developmental countries, like the African, the poorer North African countries included. Within our cultures the values of gender equality, freedom and deconstruction of gender differences often are used as arguments for a naturalization of these gender segregations in professions. But the observation of the differences in various cultures shows clearly that there are no inherent, but contingent reasons for such segregations. For example within the new countries of Germany it can be observed which effects reunion had on the female enrollment in Computer Science. In this lecture after showing the numbers of female enrollment in tertiary education in Computer Science in various countries I want to give explanations and theories for these differences. It will turn out that there is no evidence for natural explanations of competence and interest in computing, as well as in mathematical and technical subjects. The findings in turn may give hints how to change the situation of women in Computing within our culture. 1. Some examples of female enrollment in Computer Science A quick glanze at the proportion of female participation in science and engineering throughout the world (viz. tables below) reveals the extent to that gender distribution is culturally diversified. It is interesting to note that many of the so called industrially developed countries are comparatively underdeveloped as far as the inclusion of women into these subjects is concerned. Another interesting observation is that within Europe the former socialist countries have had and that the Latin countries are having a much higher female participation in science and engineering than the Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian and German speaking countries. Within Europe Turkey, Spain and Portugal are doing best with respect to the inclusion of females in science and engineering in all stages of the career ladder. Also it is especially striking, that quite a lot of African, all the Arabic and South American countries have a nearly equal gender distribution in Computer Science. Enrollment* for selected countries, showing total number of students and the percentage representation of females Natural science Mathematics/computer science Engineering Country Date Total %F Total %F Total %F Angola 1990 609 40 na na 799 21 Burkina Faso 1990 563 12 433 5 Burundi 1991 421 29 77 34 330 9 Ethiopia 1991 1700 6 468 9 2070 5 Ghana 1990 955 15 206 11 635 3 Kenya 1989 1966 15 na na 854 4 Lesotho 1991 312 36 na na Niger 1989 280 6 na na 98 4 Swaziland 1991 341 33 na na Uganda 1990 880 15 155 10 207 8 Zambia 1989 757 14 na na 551 1 Zimbabwe 1991 1301 19 na na 725 30 Kuwait 1991 1593 65 1635 72 1342 39 Brazil 1991 41158 49 70898 38 150015 17 Mexiko 1990 39541 54 51751 41 279989 16 Sweden 1991 3425 53 6504 19 20124 21 * Figures given represent enrolment in courses leading to a first degree. na = not available because subsumed under another faculty. Source: compiled from the UNESCO Statistical Yearbook, 1993. Some actual numbers from some single Universities show the striking differences as well (information by Joel C. Adams, Ph.D., who gives lectures in Mauritius 2001): University of Mauritius: 40-50% women in CS courses National University of Samoa: 60% of CS students are women. 2. The German situation in Informatics: There has been a constant rising of students ́enrollment since the nineteen seventies. But the female participation has not gone together with the male one. During the eighties and nineties the fraction of females even decreased substantially. In contrast the female participation in the former GDR was equally distributed among the sexes. The reunion of Germany however has brought the same situation also into the so called new countries (the former GDR). The following table shows the overall situation in Germany during the nineteen nineties: All Students and Female enrolment in German Informatics 0 500