Spain among EU countries with the lowest rate of female university students studying science and engineering

Brussels – Spain had in 2023 one of the lowest percentages in the European Union of women enrolled in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) programs, at 28.6%, below the European average (32.2%) and far from the EU’s proposed goal of reaching 40% by 2030, according to the European Education and Training Monitor 2025, published this Thursday.

Analyzing the fields, women represented 47.8% of students enrolled in natural sciences and mathematics (the EU average was 51.5%), while in engineering there was 27.1% (27.7% in the EU) and in information and communication technologies, 15.9% (20.3% in the EU).

Furthermore, only 11.2% of students in intermediate vocational training were women, compared to 15.4% of the European average.

At the doctoral level, women were somewhat better represented than in intermediate vocational training and in the lower levels of higher education.

The report indicates that reducing the gender gap in ICT could help Spain achieve the Digital Decade goals for 2030.

Considering all students, in Spain in 2023, 24.7% of higher education students were enrolled in a STEM program, a percentage that keeps the country below the European average (26.9%) and has decreased by 1.2 percentage points compared to 2015.

The Education and Training Monitor 2025 focuses on STEM disciplines, as promoting this type of study aligns with the goal of achieving the EU’s strategic autonomy, as well as greater competitiveness and technological leadership, the report explains.

Regarding Spain, it notes that the demand for professionals in STEM is growing much faster than the supply, especially in information and communication technologies (ICT), “which leads to a shortage of qualified specialists in these disciplines.”

It adds that, according to the Public State Employment Service, Spain needs more than 1.39 million additional ICT specialists to meet the EU’s Digital Decade goal for 2030 that 10% of total employment is in the ICT sectors.

“This indicates that it is unlikely that Spain, which currently stands at 4.4%, will meet the target for 2030,” the same document adds.

Engineering dominated enrollments in Spain in these disciplines, accounting for 51.2%, followed by ICT (26.9%) and natural sciences and mathematics (21.9% each).

On the other hand, in 2023, ICT represented only 2.4% of the total doctoral enrollments, below the EU average (3.8%) and the EU’s proposed target of 5%.

The Monitor reveals, on the other hand, that despite progress, gender inequalities persist in all STEM fields.

Spain does not have a specific strategy in the field of STEM, but it implements a digital skills plan, as well as various initiatives. (November 13)