Towards gender-inclusive pathways into software engineering education and industry

Abstract

Even in some of the most egalitarian countries, women remain underrepresented in many engineering domains, including software engineering (SE), with Finland serving as a clear example of this paradox. This doctoral thesis explores gender equality in the SE industry from a higher education perspective. Since education forms the pathway into the industry, the research focuses on how universities and related institutions can improve women’s entry, persistence, and sense of belonging in the field.

Grounded in six publications, this work employs a mixed-methods approach, using semistructured interviews with female tech entrepreneurs in Finland and faculty members from eight countries for qualitative insights, and two surveys of women studying or working in technology for quantitative data. It includes several types of literature reviews (scoping, mapping, and systematic) to synthesize global evidence on women’s participation and gender-inclusive practices in SE and computer science education.

The findings show that structural equality alone does not guarantee participation, as stereotypes, explicit and subconscious bias, lack of early exposure, and other social factors weaken women’s confidence and sense of belonging, regardless of academic achievements. Conversely, domain exposure leads to increased interest, interest to selfefficacy, self-efficacy to belonging, and ultimately belonging to persistence. The findings also suggest that to foster gender equality in the field, universities should implement inclusive practices such as inclusive pedagogy, supportive communities, outreach initiatives, and flexible learning paths. In doing so, education can contribute to building a more diverse, innovative, and sustainable SE industry.

This research identifies practices that can make education more inclusive, including mentorship programs, outreach initiatives, inclusive curricula, inclusive online learning environments, and institutional policies that support equity. It connects women’s educational experiences to real-world industry challenges by offering insights derived from theoretical frameworks and lived experiences.