Armenia's experience in international spotlight: YSU hosts Tunisian partners

Yerevan State University hosted partners from the Armenian and Tunisian offices of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), as well as representatives of Tunisia's Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy and the Tunisian Women's Network for Energy Transition initiative. The meeting focused on YSU's experience in promoting the participation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as part of the global Feminism in Action for Structural Transformation (FAST) program, as well as opportunities for exchanging experience between the two countries.

The FAST program is implemented by GIZ's Armenia office on behalf of the German government. The initiative, which seeks to promote the participation of women and girls in STEM, is being carried out in cooperation with the YSU Continuing Education Center.

During the visit, the Tunisian delegation expressed interest in initiatives being implemented in Armenia to strengthen gender equality in science and technology. The meeting presented programs underway at YSU, the results already achieved, and the next steps planned.

Pursuing science as national development strategy

YSU Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Development and Innovation Mikayel Hovhannisyan said the initiative aims not only to encourage interest in STEM disciplines but also to promote broader interest in higher education and science.

YSU implements program for systemic change

Lusine Kharatyan, Director of the YSU Continuing Education Center, presented the German government-supported FAST program, which aims to increase women's participation particularly in mathematics, information technology, mechanics, physics and astrophysics.

She said that although women's participation in STEM varies considerably across disciplines, inequality remains evident in certain fields.

Presenting YSU statistics, Kharatyan noted that women account for only 38.5% of the university's academic staff in STEM, even when biology and chemistry - fields in which women have traditionally been more highly represented - are included. At the same time, women's representation in leadership positions is significantly lower.

Exchanging experience on common challenges

Anahit Simonyan, policy advisor for the global FAST program, said Armenia and Tunisia share many similarities in terms of their experience.

She said initiatives being implemented in the two countries can complement one another and that meetings of this kind provide an important platform for effective cooperation.

Addressing gender inequality, she stressed that the issue is far more multifaceted than it is often portrayed, as women's experiences vary depending on their age, place of residence, social environment and other factors.

"Our aim is to help ensure that science is genuinely accessible to everyone. This idea is also reflected in the program's central message: 'Science belongs to everyone,'" she said.

Stereotypes challenged through results, not words

The meeting was also attended by Susanna Gaginyan, a researcher at the International Center for Advanced Studies of the YSU Institute of Physics, who shared her experience as a woman working in STEM.

She said that, alongside teaching, she is actively engaged in scientific research and aims to establish a research laboratory for small modular reactors in Armenia.

Recalling that she had repeatedly been told at the beginning of her career that physics was "not a profession for girls", she said: "Stereotypes are not broken by words alone. They are overcome through work, successful projects and international cooperation."

Armenia and Tunisia share sector-specific challenges

A representative of the Tunisian delegation said that although statistical data for the two countries differ to some extent, the overall situation and challenges are the same.

The representative said that although a large number of women in Tunisia graduate from STEM-related educational programs, their participation declines significantly when they enter professional fields. Women account for only 14 per cent of employees in technical sectors, while their representation in leadership positions is even more limited.

Participants emphasized the importance of promoting successful examples as part of efforts to address the issue. Increasing the visibility of women scientists, providing mentorship and sharing inspiring stories with young girls can encourage career choices in these fields and help increase the participation of women and girls in STEM.