Registration and evaluation of good practices for attracting and retaining students in STEM careers in Latin America

Abstract

Access to and retention in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs in Latin America face significant barriers, including gender inequalities, economic limitations, social biases and deficiencies in vocational guidance. As an additional proposal to collaborate in the solution to this problem, the ELA4ATTRACT project analyzes strategies implemented in eight universities in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and the Dominican Republic to promote equity and sustainability in STEM education, with the support of four European universities. Through a study based on structured surveys and data analysis tools, key practices that influence the choice and retention in these disciplines were identified.
Attraction strategies include, among others, scientific outreach activities, mentoring with professionals in the sector and the use of communication campaigns aimed at improving the social perception of STEM careers. On the other hand, retention strategies have prioritized the development of leveling courses, project-based learning, strengthening academic support and teacher training in active methodologies. For the analysis of these strategies, the data collected was organized in an interactive dashboard, allowing the visualization and comparison of trends at the country, university, section or keyword level. This tool facilitated the identification of good practices and allowed the selection of the three most relevant strategies for each institution. Subsequently, these practices were evaluated within each university, using a checklist and control developed by European universities, which allowed the detection of possible gender biases and opportunities for improvement in their implementation. These results are part of the “Tool Catalogue”, which will be a freely available and disseminated document for those institutions interested in delving deeper into the subject and applying it according to their interests and capabilities.
Based on the results obtained, it can be initially stated that the main aspects to be improved should include reducing the dependence on individual efforts and converting them into consolidated institutional strategies, the definition and use of impact measurement and monitoring mechanisms, as well as promoting the articulation between academia, the private sector and government policies. As an immediate response, it is recommended to strengthen inter-university cooperation, develop reference frameworks for impact assessment, improve data collection and consolidate inclusion policies that guarantee equity in access and permanence in STEM. These findings contribute to the formulation of more effective strategies to reduce the gender gap and improve the insertion of talent in strategic sectors for the development of the region.