Economy

More women join science and engineering ranks

Reading Time: < 1 minute

There were almost 6.6 million female scientists and engineers in the EU in 2020, which represented a year-on-year rise of 254,500, according to a new report by Eurostat. Women now account for 41% of total employment in science and engineering, the EU official statistics office added.

Among the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) EU member states, the proportion of female scientists and engineers varied widely in 2020, ranging from 52% in Lithuania, to 31% in Hungary, which was one percentage point below bottom-placed Finland.

At a regional level, female scientists and engineers were in the majority in eleven EU regions, including four in central and Eastern Europe: North and South-East Bulgaria, Eastern Poland ( 57%), Lithuania (52%). 

The two smallest proportions of female scientists and engineers – of 29% – were recorded in the Hungarian region of Transdanubia, as well as Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg, Eurostat found.

A sector where women were underrepresented was manufacturing (where only 22% of scientists and engineers were female), as opposed to the more gender-balanced services sector (46%).

CET Editor

Recent Posts

As EU probes TikTok, precedent-setting Romania announces date for election rerun

Romania’s government has approved a repeat presidential election in May after institutional chaos and controversy…

1 day ago

NATO launches ‘Baltic Sentry’ patrols to counter infrastructure attacks

NATO deployed a multinational flotilla off the Estonian coast at the weekend to defend undersea…

1 day ago

Polish presidential candidates begin election drive

Poland's presidential election campaign has officially begun, ahead of a pivotal vote for the Central…

1 day ago

What Trump presidency means for CEE

US President Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony on Monday, 20 January, broke with tradition and extended…

1 day ago

Croatia returns incumbent in landslide presidential election vote

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic secured a decisive re-election victory, defeating his conservative challenger in a…

1 week ago

Checks remain at Romania-Hungary rail border

Although Romania joined the Schengen free travel area at the beginning of 2025, international trains…

1 week ago