Women in Engineering: Academic Challenges and Opportunities in the Current University Setting.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36881/ma.v5i1.1389Keywords:
women in engineering, academic challenges, university opportunities, gender gap, higher educationAbstract
Despite institutional advances aimed at promoting gender equality, careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) continue to exhibit a significant underrepresentation of women worldwide. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the academic challenges and opportunities faced by women in the university engineering environment. Methodologically, the research adopted a quantitative approach, basic research type, non-experimental design, and descriptive-correlational level. The sample consisted of 15 students from the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at the Andean University of Cusco, Sicuani Campus, selected through non-probability convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire comprising 20 items distributed across six critical dimensions was administered. The results revealed the existence of "passive formal inclusion." On the one hand, equal opportunities emerged as the strongest dimension, with 66.7% of participants reaching the optimal level and 0.0% at the critical level. However, areas of vulnerability persisted in University Participation (26.7% at the critical level) and Institutional Support (26.7% at the critical level). Furthermore, an exact symmetrical pattern was identified between Academic Performance and Personal Growth, with both dimensions recording 40.0% at the optimal level and 40.0% at the moderate level. It is concluded that the faculty has effectively eliminated explicit forms of vertical gender discrimination; however, it needs to strengthen student welfare services, academic tutoring, and institutional mentoring programs to facilitate the transition of female students from purely operational roles to positions of genuine leadership.
Downloads
References
Araneda-Guirriman, C. A., & Sepúlveda-Páez, G. L. (2021). Reflections on the challenges faced by female academics in the context of academic capitalism. Formación universitaria, 14(5), 75-84. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-50062021000500075
Carrasco Salazar, E., & Valenzuela Vidal, D. (2021). Mujeres que eligen ciencias: autoeficacia, expectativas de resultado, barreras y apoyos percibidos para la elección de carrera universitaria. Calidad en la Educación, 54, 271-302. https://doi.org/10.31619/caledu.n54.994
Cheryan, S., Ziegler, S. A., Montoya, A. K., & Jiang, L. (2017). Why are some STEM fields more gender balanced than others? Psychological Bulletin, 143(1), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000052
European Commission, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers. (2024). 2024 report on gender equality in the EU. Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2838/401813
Galhardi de Pujalt, R. M. A. (2007). Conciliación entre la vida familiar y la vida laboral. Revista Latinoamericana De Derecho Social, 1(4). https://doi.org/10.22201/iij.24487899e.2007.4.9495
Garvizu, V. C., & Vargas, S. G. (2025). La presencia de la mujer en Ingeniería y Tecnología en la universidad boliviana: desafíos y perspectivas. Revista Ciencia Y Cultura, 29(54), 127-135. https://doi.org/10.35319/rcyc.2025541376
Hernández-Sampieri, R., & Mendoza, C. (2018). Metodología de la investigación: Las rutas cuantitativa, cualitativa y mixta. McGraw-Hill.
Loría, S. O., & Villagómez, G. I. (2023). Retos y oportunidades para la permanencia de mujeres en ingeniería en instituciones tecnológicas en Yucatán: Una mirada desde la perspectiva de género. Antrópica. Revista De ciencias sociales y humanidades, 9(17), 171-194. https://doi.org/10.32776/arcsh.v9i17.378
Martínez-Galaz, C. P., Campo, V. I. del, & Palomera-Rojas, P. V. (2022). Women's voices in engineering: academic experiences, obstacles, and facilitators of career tenure. Formación universitaria, 15(4), 59-68. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-50062022000400059
Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021). Gender stereotypes about interests start early and cause gender disparities in computer science and engineering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(48), e2100030118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2100030118
Nava Preciado, J. M. (2018). Estudiar ingenierías: implicaciones desde las narrativas de un grupo de estudiantes. CPU-E, Revista De Investigación Educativa, (26), 87-113. https://doi.org/10.25009/cpue.v0i26.2548
Nava, J. M. (2020). Mujeres que estudian ingenierías: Narrativas y experiencias de un grupo de jóvenes en México. Didáctica y Educación, 11(1), 1-23. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=7361551
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). Education at a glance 2023: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/e13bef63-en
Ortiz-Martínez, G., Vázquez-Villegas, P., Ruiz-Cantisani, M. I., Delgado-Fabián, M., Conejo-Márquez, D. A., & Membrillo-Hernández, J. (2023). Analysis of the retention of women in higher education STEM programs. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10, 101. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01588-z
Programa Estado de la Nación. (2023). Noveno Estado de la Educación 2023. Consejo Nacional de Rectores (CONARE). https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12337/8544
Radovic, Darinka, Veloso, Rocío, Sánchez, Javiera, Gerdtzen, Ziomara, & Martínez, Salomé. (2021). Entrar no es suficiente: discursos de académicos y estudiantes sobre inclusión de mujeres en ingeniería en Chile. Revista mexicana de investigación educativa, 26(90), 841-865. https://n9.cl/qg6ehu
Resnik, D. B., & Shamoo, A. E. (2011). The Singapore Statement on Research Integrity. Accountability in Research, 18(2), 71-75. https://doi.org/10.1080/08989621.2011.557296
Rodríguez Garcés, C., Romero Garrido, D., y Espinosa Valenzuela, D. (2024). Praxis educativa, 28(2), 1-17. https://dx.doi.org/10.19137/praxiseducativa-2024-280212
Román Forastelli, M. (2023). Brechas de género en las universidades estatales de Costa Rica: oportunidades para la igualdad y la productividad. Consejo Nacional de Rectores (CONARE). https://repositorio.conare.ac.cr/
Trejo Magaña, G. Y., García de Álvarez, C. Y., Lara Solano, N. E., & Hernández, N. E. (2024). Barreras y desafíos percibidos por mujeres en su trayectoria por carreras en ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas (STEM). Revista Integración, 12, 57-69. https://doi.org/10.66092/nzz45r43
UN Women, & United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2024). Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2024. United Nations. https://n9.cl/ipaon
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2021). Engineering for sustainable development: Delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals. UNESCO. https://n9.cl/8yvk16
Vega Cano, R., García Rangel, F., & Cruz Hernández, U. (2023). Retos y oportunidades para el desempeño profesional de la ingeniería civil desde la óptica de los empleadores. RIDE Revista Iberoamericana Para La Investigación Y El Desarrollo Educativo, 14(27). https://doi.org/10.23913/ride.v14i27.1736
Zepeda Pérez, O., & Villagómez Valdés, G. I. (2021). Female Engineering Students: A Systematic Review of Latin America. Innovaciones Educativas, 23(35), 161-174. https://doi.org/10.22458/ie.v23i35.3571
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 David Salomon Quispe Choqque, Juan Paulo Catunta Huamane, Ruth Thalia Quispe Mamani, Sergio Achahui Llusca, Noemí Tupa Quispe, Sonia Mejía Ayala
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The content of the publications is the responsibility of the authors. The journal allows authors to maintain copyright on published articles and documents. The license used is Commons Attribution-NonCommercial International License. CC BY NC
