Despite years of policy talk around gender equality, the landscape for women in Cyprus’s high-tech and innovation sectors remains starkly unequal. This is the key message from the SheSTEAM study, presented by Christina Kokkalou, CEO of IMR/University of Nicosia, at the recent Women in STEAM conference hosted by Cyta. The research paints a revealing picture of the structural barriers still preventing women from fully participating in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).

Based on a representative sample of 200 companies operating in IT, R&D, data analytics, and sustainability, the study found that only 11% of businesses report that their STEAM departments are mainly staffed by women. A staggering 58% of firms are dominated by male staff, and just three in ten said they have achieved any sort of gender balance.

A key problem, the study highlights, is that gender stereotypes remain deeply embedded—with 69% of respondents acknowledging that STEAM professions are still widely perceived as male-dominated. This is reinforced by the lack of female role models, an education system that fails to challenge traditional norms, and the reproduction of gendered expectations both at school and in the family from an early age.

Furthermore, 39% of businesses say they struggle to recruit women with the appropriate qualifications for tech and science roles. But this isn’t just a pipeline issue. Once hired, women face considerable difficulties advancing: only 31–32% of leadership roles in STEAM fields are held by women, with just 9% of companies having over 50% female representation in top positions.

Although 80% of firms claim to have gender equality policies, the report finds their actual implementation to be superficial. Just 15% use measurable indicators to monitor these policies, and only 23% offer targeted training or development programs for women.

The gap between declarations and practice is a central theme of the findings. As Kokkalou noted during her presentation, “Policies exist, but without timelines, action plans, or evaluation mechanisms, they remain symbolic.” Companies are more likely to have equality statements than meaningful interventions.

Another area of concern is work-life balance. Many companies fail to provide basic supports like flexible schedules or child-friendly workplace policies, making it especially difficult for women with children to maintain or advance their careers. This contributes to limited availability for overtime or demanding schedules, often cited by employers as a reason for male preference.

On the institutional side, 63% of companies believe public authorities offer insufficient support to promote gender equality in high-tech fields. The problem worsens as professionals climb the hierarchy—where the disparity in advancement becomes most evident.

Nevertheless, the study also identified clear paths forward, based on suggestions from businesses themselves. These include:

• Enhancing education and promoting female role models to inspire younger generations (supported by 30% of respondents).

• Expanding remote work options and family-friendly practices (58%).

• Launching targeted training programs for women in tech and science (47%).

• Designing specific roles and opportunities to attract and retain women in STEAM fields (21%).

However, the study concludes that these steps will only make a difference if approached systematically. That means not just internal company changes, but collaborative efforts between government, education, and the private sector.

Kokkalou emphasized that increasing female participation in STEAM isn’t merely a matter of fairness—it’s essential for sustainable development, innovation, and social cohesion. Closing the gender gap in technology will require both policy reform and cultural change, beginning with how girls are educated and continuing through how workplaces are structured.