Conference Agenda

One of the challenges of higher education is to achieve gender equity in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), from enrollment, retention to graduation. Universities develop different actions to impact this challenge, through strategies, policies, and initiatives, all conducted by their professors, leaders and students. This research has a qualitative approach, which aims to present a case study at a School of Engineering, that has as a strategic initiative to increase the percentage of women in STEM areas. The research focuses on the involvement of students in promoting the strengthening of this gender equity initiative through student groups, analyzing: the approach of the university in relation to student groups and gender equity as a context, analysis of the academic programs that integrate it with its students by gender, the purposes of each student group linked to these initiatives in STEM area and the opinion of candidates for graduation in relation to the activities of student groups. The results show that student groups focused on equity aim to create a supportive and empowering environment through various activities. Despite positive evaluations from graduating students, there are still gender participation gaps in engineering fields. Both the institution and the engineering school should enhance initiatives to meet the common goals of these groups.

Este artículo explora los factores protectores y las barreras percibidas en las trayectorias educativas de estudiantes indígenas de pregrado en las áreas de matemáticas e ingeniería en universidades chilenas. La investigación forma parte de un proyecto cualitativo de enfoque biográfico-narrativo, que contempla la realización de más de 5 0 entrevistas de historia de vida a estudiantes y profesionales indígenas. , E n este trabajo se presentan hallazgos preliminares basados en el análisis temático de 4 entrevistas. Los resultados revelan barreras estructurales y culturales, como metodologías de enseñanza poco contextualizadas, estereotipos de género, y dificultades económicas; así como facilitadores clave como la autogestión, el apoyo familiar y las prácticas pedagógicas innovadoras. Estos hallazgos permiten visibilizar las trayectorias multidimensionales de las y los estudiantes indígenas y la necesidad de avanzar hacia políticas y prácticas institucionales más inclusivas y culturalmente pertinentes en las disciplinas STEM.

The present article analyzes the factors that influence the persistence of female students in the Industrial Engineering program at the Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios (UNIMINUTO), Cali campus. Through a qualitative and quantitative case study, key variables associated with professional vocation, academic motivation, structural barriers, and institutional support networks were identified. The findings help to understand how women’s educational trajectories are constructed in a traditionally male-dominated field, and which protective factors enable their persistence and completion of studies. Semi-structured interviews, surveys of students from various semesters, and documentary analysis of institutional reports were employed. The results highlight the importance of female role models, early engagement in research, and academic mentoring as effective strategies to strengthen vocation and mitigate dropout. Furthermore, self-confidence, family context, and social expectations significantly influence the decision to continue in the program. The study concludes with recommendations for designing gender-sensitive retention strategies in engineering programs.

Education and innovation are key drivers of development, requiring a systematic and iterative approach to solving problems and creating functional products or solutions. This process combines scientific, technical, and creative knowledge to transform needs into concrete solutions. Such an approach is applied at Santa Magdalena Sofía Educational Institution, where the reality reflects poverty, family unemployment, violence, and other social factors.

This context raises the question: How does the application of the engineering-based model develop the competency to manage economic and social entrepreneurship projects? The proposal seeks to promote equality of rights, opportunities, and spaces for female students within the school.

The objective of this research was to implement an intervention plan using a quasi-experimental design with fourth-grade secondary students from sections L, M, and N, specializing in administrative management. The students developed a business idea through an engineering-based process that included market analysis, production planning, financial evaluation, formalization, human resource management, and marketing strategies—integrating the Happiness Management Model.

In doing so, the initiative promotes equality of rights, opportunities, and spaces for female students by enabling them to generate employment or self-employment, access sources of wealth, and meet their basic needs. The model significantly improved the students’ entrepreneurial competencies and contributed to narrowing the gap in Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger), 4 (Quality Education), and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

El presente artículo expone los avances del proyecto "Despertando Vocaciones en Ingeniería Industrial", orientado a fomentar el interés y la participación de las estudiantes de educación secundaria en esta carrera, mediante el fortalecimiento de competencias técnicas y de liderazgo, con miras a incrementar la representación femenina en el ámbito profesional. La investigación adopta una metodología de tipo exploratorio con enfoque mixto, que incluye la recolección y análisis de datos cuantitativos y cualitativos en diferentes fases. Se trata de un proyecto en curso en el cual se ha avanzado con una revisión documental y el diseño de un instrumento inicial tipo encuesta que será aplicado en una prueba piloto a 151 estudiantes de secundaria. Se busca que los resultados de la prueba piloto sirvan para la mejora del instrumento diseñado y realizar una identificación inicial de las barreras y oportunidades en el proceso de orientación vocacional hacia la Ingeniería Industrial en la muestra piloto. Se espera que las encuestas permitan identificar si las limitaciones se encuentran en el conocimiento sobre esta disciplina, una baja identificación con referentes femeninos del sector, y/o una percepción reducida de las posibilidades de liderazgo femenino en carreras STEM. Estos insumos permitirán ajustar las estrategias pedagógicas para futuras fases del proyecto, enfocadas en visibilizar el rol de la mujer en la ingeniería y promover la equidad de género desde la educación media.