After graduating from a commercial academy - where I chose to specialise in mathematics and computer science - I decided to study business. However, my affinity for IT also led me to specialise in computer science. I also took my first professional steps in an IT consulting company before becoming the first female employee in the IT department of ORF. Here, too, I didn't think about whether I was the token woman.

In the meantime, I have been teaching gender studies and diversity management at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland for eight years.

The main topics in my teaching revolve around the history and role of women in the development of computer science, gender marketing and possible solutions to the glass career ceiling for women or the gender pay gap.

A very important aspect of teaching, however, are the students' personal opinions and experiences, which they express in discussions, presentations and reflections. In eight years, with an average of 50 students per semester, we have accumulated around 400 reflections with many statistics, proposed solutions and personal experiences.

If I had to summarise the reflections of the few women studying IT Infrastructure Management on the technical degree programme in one sentence, it would be as follows:

I didn't receive the necessary support from my family and circle of acquaintances, or rather, no one trusted me to hold my own in the technical field with not necessarily family-friendly working hours that make me an IT nerd.

There are a few clichés hidden in this sentence, but also a few truths. The image of careers in the IT sector is not the best, even though it is precisely here that the compatibility of working hours and the desire to have children is common practice.

The solution seems obvious. Characteristics such as creativity and self-confidence can be fostered from an early age. Female role models similar to IT greats such as Steve Jobs or Elon Musk at the creative helm of global companies need to become better known. The practical application of maths, IT and technology is an important key factor in arousing interest.

Of course, this would work best if there were more female programmers, product developers or software testers who could fulfil this demand for diverse coverage of IT system requirements. So let's go girls, have the courage!

Because computer science is female!

Would you like to read, see or hear more about women in IT?

There are exciting posts, stories and more on our social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. to mark International Women's Day.

A new episode of our Campus Talk podcast on this topic will also be released this week.

And did you know that our Bachelor's degree programme in Software Engineering and Networked Systems is one of the most female software degree programmes in Austria? You can find the article right here.

Are topics such as digitalisation and the Internet of Things right up your street? Then we also recommend taking a look at the Bachelor's degree programme in IT Infrastructure Management or the Bachelor's degree programme in Information, Media and Communication. Maybe this is exactly your degree programme ;)

Or are you looking for a suitable Master's programme in IT? You can find all the relevant Master's programmes in our Information Technology department.

Still have questions? - Then just drop by our online info day this Saturday!