Women in leadership positions in STEM, high-ranking officials, and academics gathered at the Palace of Parliament for a forum on inclusive leadership, innovation, and the role of women in STEM.
Global Women TechLeaders co-organized a landmark forum dedicated to promoting women in leadership positions in STEM, held at the Palace of Parliament in partnership with the Commission for Communications and Information Technology of the Chamber of Deputies.
Forum Overview
Women active in technical fields, high-ranking officials, and representatives from the academic environment gathered on February 28th to discuss inclusive leadership, innovation, and the role of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Over 40 participants attended the debate — the majority being women with experience in IT&C and management positions in public and private companies, or from the academic environment.
Key Discussion Topics
- Promoting women in leadership roles in STEM
- Public-private partnerships for advancing gender equality in STEM
- Innovative policies to support women in technology
Voices from the Forum
"There's a famous picture from almost 100 years ago, taken at a congress of scientists, where among 50-60 men, there was only one woman – that was Marie Curie. Currently, we've reached a percentage of 28% globally. If we continue on this trend, it will take another 100 years to achieve relatively equal figures. I find it important to mention that it's not about men versus women but about providing equal opportunities to all children, encouraging girls to pursue courses and careers in exact sciences."
— Monica Berescu, USR Deputy, Vice President of the Commission for Information Technology and Communications
Her remarks highlighted a UK study showing that at age 10–11, boys and girls chose STEM fields almost equally (75% vs. 72%), yet by age 18 that gap widened significantly (33% for boys, only 19% for girls) — underscoring the critical importance of education and visible role models.
"The meeting marked a crucial moment in our collective journey towards strengthening the presence of women in leadership roles. Together, we have recognized the need to acknowledge and promote the importance of support networks, mentorship, individual involvement, and collaboration between the public and private sectors. It is essential to recognize that each of us has a role to play and that, through the courage to expose ourselves and share experiences, we can bring about significant changes, person by person. Let us join forces and build a future where women in leadership are not a rarity but a norm."
— Simona Șandru, President, Global Women TechLeaders
Looking Ahead
The ideas, experiences, and conclusions from the forum serve as essential building blocks for a detailed action plan providing a framework for future generations of female leaders — from mentoring programs and AI opportunity initiatives to policy proposals reintroducing Computer Science into Romania's national curriculum.
