Project outline 
The report, Women in North West Engineering (WEWIN), produced by a research team from the School of Computing, Science and Engineering in December 2006, found that the under-representation of women in engineering is multifaceted. Gender stereotyping, gender identity, qualifications and training arrangements, organisational structure, management styles, salaries, working arrangements, personalities and the absence of equality policies are all contributing factors.
Despite being free from the traditional 'heavy machinery' stereotype of engineering, the audio engineering and visual technology industries remain male-dominated. ESF funding has been secured for the Women Audio Video Engineers (WAVE) which will examine gender segregation in this industry and produce policy recommendation and practical strategies to influence the effective recruitment and participation of women in this high-growth sector. The project will run until December 2007.
For more information, please contact Haifa Takruri-Rizk at h.takruri-rizk@salford.ac.uk
ESF's main purpose is to support the annual UK Employment Action Plan, which sets out how UK policies and initiatives take account of the Employment Guidelines established within the European Employment Strategy. ESF is channelled through three Structural Fund Objectives and the Equal Community Initiative. European Social Fund aims to:
- Help umemployed and inactive people enter work
- Provide opportunities for people at a disadvantage in the labour market
- Promote lifelong learning
- Develop the skills of employed people
- Improve women's participation in the labour market
The school of Computing, Science & Engineering is committed to the promotion of women in SET at all stages. The School is involved in a number of projects and initiatives which include organising the annual Insight programme to encourage young girls from all over the UK to study engineering programmes, a partner in the NW Hub for Women in SECT workking with returners, employers, and promoting women in science, engineering, construction and technology, taken part in the MENWU project (a NW Universities mentoring scheme for women in SET) and delivering talks and demonstrations promoting SET disciplines to pupils in local schools.
People, Technology, Ambition and Success
The Informatics Research Institute (IRIS) is at the forefront of developments brought about by latest advances in Information and Communication Technology, including the emerging concepts of ubiquitous computing and ambient intelligence. IRIS has the ambition, through a multi-disciplinary and cross-industry approach, to pursue the vision of a sustainable knowledge society supported by novel ICT-enabled physical as well as virtual modes of socialisation, communication and collaboration across disparate geographical locations and time-zones. Technology, people, organizations and society are the four pillars that form the foundation of our research. This is reflected in the nature of our work that spans the information systems spectrum from the 'soft' (human related) to 'hard' (ICT related) research and from theory to practice.