Pedagogies of inclusion: the nexus between gender, pedagogy and STEM in higher education institutions in Africa

 

Women’s low rates of participation in Southern science systems are well-documented. Since 2019, IDRC has made considerable investments to address this issue, supporting research that examines gendered disparities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) studies and careers in the Global South. Research, for instance, has specifically focused on collecting gender-disaggregated data and interrogating the systematic and systemic gendered barriers in these contexts that can explain women’s lower levels of participation in STEM studies and careers.

One important finding emerging from these studies is that while women’s enrolment rates in various STEM disciplines in higher education institutions are increasing, once admitted, they tend to have higher rates of attrition than their male counterparts. While some studies are examining how national and institutional policies and practices can inhibit and/or enable women’s participation, previous research has not investigated if and how tertiary institutions in the Global South are using various pedagogical interventions to address issues of gender, diversity and inclusion in STEM-focused disciplines.

This project will begin to address this research gap by determining the current state of evidence on the intersection of gender, diversity, inclusion and pedagogy in STEM-focused disciplines in African higher education institutions. Study findings will build a collaborative research agenda on how pedagogical practices can address issues of social exclusion, particularly the exclusion of women, from STEM disciplines. The project will work to continue to support women emerging as leaders in strong science systems that produce knowledge and innovation that improve people’s lives.