11 February provides an opportunity to analyse women’s university careers in the STEM field, a moment for reflection and in-depth examination that not only responds to the need for equal opportunities, but also aims to assess the internal effectiveness and sustainability of the national academic system.

From this perspective, ANVUR’s longitudinal analysis of the 2018/19 cohort six years after enrolment makes it possible to move beyond a static “snapshot” of admissions and degree attainment in order to examine the dynamics of university pathways.

An essential contextual element is the gender composition of first-time enrollees* in STEM disciplines.
Data on Bachelor’s degree programmes from 2018/19 to 2024/25 show that the female share, rather than increasing, is slightly declining.

Over seven years, female enrolments increased by approximately 3,400 units (+10.9%), while male enrolments increased by nearly 6,700 (+13.1%). The peak in the female share was recorded in a.y. 2020/21 (38.6%); since then, the percentage has declined to 37.4% in a.y. 2024/25.

While participation remains the unresolved issue, outcome data tell a different story. Six years after first enrolment in a.y. 2018/19, the differences between men and women are clear.
63.8% of female STEM students obtained a Bachelor’s degree, compared with 54.5% of male students: an advantage of 9.4 percentage points. Nearly two out of three women complete the programme, compared with just over half of men.

The dropout rate is equally significant: 30.2% of male students dropped out within six years, compared with 17.0% of female students. In other words, nearly one in three men leaves their studies, whereas among women the proportion falls to fewer than one in five.

When admissions and outcome data are considered together, they lead to an operational conclusion. If the system’s objective is to increase the number of STEM graduates, the most effective lever is to expand the female intake at entry.
Applying the graduation rates of the 2018/19 cohort, every additional 1,000 women enrolled generate approximately 638 graduates; every additional 1,000 men generate approximately 545. This represents a 17% higher yield, in addition to a halved dropout rate.
In a context where the female share among STEM enrollees is not increasing — indeed, it is declining — investing in attracting female students to STEM disciplines is not only a matter of gender equality, but also an efficiency strategy for the university system as a whole.

Prof. Alessandra Celletti, Vice-President of ANVUR, representative for activities related to the Agency's research evaluation and full professor of Mathematical Physics at the Department of Mathematics of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, stated:  'As a professor and academic in the scientific disciplines, as well as in my role as Vice-President of ANVUR, I believe that the International Day of Women and Girls in Science should be a tribute to all the women who have contributed and continue to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the scientific field. Unfortunately, their contribution has often been overlooked or recognised only after a long time. The data presented on the percentage of enrollees and graduates in STEM subjects, broken down by male and female components, provide an up-to-date snapshot of the student population in recent years on an issue that is central to public debate and of great relevance. It is hoped that women’s scientific potential may find adequate and equal development throughout the entire span of the university career.”».
 

*“First-time enrollees” refers to students enrolling for the first time in a Study programme in the reference academic year.