Cyprus participates in European initiative to tackle ICT gender gap

Partners of the pICTureURpath project on gender balance in ICT met in the Netherlands on April 22–23, for their second transnational meeting hosted by the University of Groningen.

The meeting brought together representatives from all six partner organisations to review progress, coordinate upcoming activities and further develop the project’s core actions.

According to an official announcement, the initiative aims to address the persistent underrepresentation of girls and young women in information and communication technologies through collaboration, research and targeted interventions.

During the sessions, partners examined key findings from ongoing research, including insights gathered through surveys targeting students, parents and educators.

These findings are already shedding light on the institutional, social and cultural factors influencing girls’ participation in ICT-related studies and careers.

At the same time, the consortium advanced the development of a pedagogical framework that will guide future pilot interventions in educational environments.

Work also progressed on the creation of the project’s Community of Practice, which will bring together stakeholders from across Europe to exchange knowledge and promote inclusive approaches.

Building on these developments, the project is now preparing for its second co-creation webinar, aimed at translating ideas into practical solutions.

On May 7, 2026, between 17:00 and 18:30 EET, the consortium will host an online session titled “Together for Girls in ICT Transforming Ideas into Action”.

The webinar follows an earlier session that brought together participants from across Europe to explore challenges and propose initial ideas.

The upcoming event will focus on turning those ideas into concrete and actionable solutions that can be implemented in real-world settings.

It will convene educators, researchers, parents, ICT professionals, policymakers and gender equality experts to collaboratively contribute to the development of practical approaches.

The outcomes of the discussion will feed directly into the project’s pilot phase and help shape evidence-based policy recommendations.

Participation in the webinar will be open online and conducted in English, with registration available through a dedicated link provided by the organisers.

The pICTureURpath project, co-funded by Erasmus+ under the Digital Education Call, runs for 36 months and began in April 2025.

It brings together six partners from Cyprus, Greece, the Netherlands and Italy, including the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics as coordinator and the Be an Ally Foundation.

Additional partners include CHALLEDU and the Directorate of Secondary Education of West Thessaloniki in Greece, the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and Quality Culture in Italy.

The project’s overarching objective is to better understand the factors shaping girls’ aspirations towards ICT careers and to develop tools, interventions and policies that support more inclusive digital pathways.

Organisers also encourage the public to follow updates through the project’s social media channels and website to stay informed about its progress and upcoming activities.