From Dublin To Delhi: How Ireland's STEM Blueprint Could Empower India's Women Innovators

India has bold ambitions. From becoming a leader in artificial intelligence and space exploration to driving breakthroughs in biotechnology, the country’s innovation engine is in full throttle. It also has the world’s largest youth population, which is another major advantage that furthers its ambitions. But there’s one major roadblock holding it back: the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

The numbers tell a striking story. While India produces the highest number of women STEM graduates in the world, around 40% of total graduates, only 14% of scientists, engineers, and technologists in Indian R&D institutions are women. This drop-off becomes even more stark in high-tech industries and leadership roles, where social norms and a lack of support often push talented women out of the pipeline.

Student Visa Abuse? 4-Year Cap, Course-Switching Restrictions By Trump Administration Spark Debate

The Indian STEM

Gender Gap Starts Early

In India, the gender gap in STEM doesn’t begin in the lab; it starts in the classroom. Girls often grow up surrounded by stereotypes about science and technology being “male domains”. Add to that limited access to mentorship and few visible female role models, and the result is a leaky pipeline where women gradually disappear as the career ladder rises.

One might think that this cannot be the case in 2025, but unfortunately, it is a reality that is yet to change. Even though over 42% of STEM graduates in India are women, their numbers sharply decline in engineering, technology, and especially in senior academic and corporate positions. For instance, women make up only about 9% of engineering faculty and just 11.5% of materials science faculty in Indian universities. Domestic expectations, lack of workplace flexibility, and deep-seated biases only widen the gap further.

India, Germany To Offer Free Visas For Student Exchanges Amid Rising Indian Enrolments In German Universities

A 2023 survey also found that 81% of young women who left STEM fields did so because they lacked mentors or female role models. While icons like Dr Tessy Thomas (“Missile Woman of India”) and virologist Dr Gagandeep Kang are breaking barriers, these success stories remain the exception, not the norm. So, what can a country with virtually unlimited potential, great minds, and a massive youth population do to uplift its women in STEM disciplines? The answer to that might lie in taking inspiration from or even partnering with Ireland.

Ireland, a relatively small nation with big tech aspirations, offers a proven roadmap. Through coordinated national programmes, inclusive education policies, and strong academia-industry partnerships, the country has become a global example of how to move the needle on women’s participation in STEM. One standout initiative is the All-Ireland STEM Passport for Inclusion, a joint initiative by Maynooth University, Microsoft Ireland, Research Ireland and the Department of Education. This programme targets girls from marginalised communities, offering them mentorship and the opportunity to earn universitylevel micro-credentials, bridging the gap between aspiration and access.

Steady Rise: More Indian Women Opting For International MBAs, Says Report

Other national campaigns like ‘Smart Futures’ and Science Foundation Ireland’s ‘Women in STEM’ initiative use storytelling, industry exposure, and hands-on experiences to show young girls that STEM isn’t just for boys and that science can be exciting, creative, and accessible. Importantly, Irish institutions don’t just talk about inclusion; they fund it. Science Foundation Ireland provides maternity support, accounts for career breaks in its research policies, and invests in women-led academic projects. What makes Ireland’s approach stand out is that the private sector is equally invested in solving the problem.

Programs like ‘Women ReBOOT’ help women return to the workforce after career breaks, offering free upskilling, mentorship, and job placement in the ICT sector. Leadership bootcamps and flexible work options ensure that once women rejoin the workforce, they also grow within it. It’s a powerful model that shows how government, academia, and industry can come together to not just open doors but keep them open.

Potential Partner

India has the talent. What’s needed is a support system that nurtures it throughout a woman’s career journey. This is where a knowledge partnership with Ireland can be a game-changer.

From Dublin To Delhi: How Ireland's STEM Blueprint Could Empower India's Women Innovators

Start bridging the divide

Start Early: Create national programs that connect schoolgirls with labs, STEM progressionals, and universities through microcredentialing, just like Ireland’s STEM passport.

Mentor at Scale: Set up structured mentorship networks where young girls can learn from women in academia, industry, and research.

Support in Academia: Provide scholarships, research grants, and leadership pathways targeted at women to help retain them in higher education and beyond.

Champion Returnship: Encourage tech and research companies to adopt returnto-work programs, closing skill gaps and welcoming women back into the workforce after career breaks. Collaborations between Indian institutions and Irish universities can further accelerate this change. Joint programmes, faculty exchanges, and mentorship alliances can infuse India’s STEM ecosystem with new ideas and best practices.

'If You Are Arrested...': Stern Warning By US Embassy To Indian Students For Breaking Laws

India’s future in tech and innovation depends on its ability to harness the full potential of its population, not just half of it. Bridging the gender gap in STEM is more than a social issue; it’s a strategic imperative. Ireland’s success shows that systemic change is possible when intent meets action. With the right policies, mentorship, and international partnerships, India can ensure that the next generation of scientists, engineers, and tech leaders includes just as many women as men. The foundation is already there. It’s time to build the bridge.

The author is DirectorSouth Asia at IDA Ireland, the official agency responsible for the attraction and retention of inward foreign direct investment into Ireland