Women consistently represent 47% or more of the student population enrolled in Ashesi University’s STEM-focused programs, with 52% of merit-based scholarships awarded to female students. Ashesi keenly tracks, measures, and provides schemes to ensure the successful graduation of its female students. With offerings in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Engineering, and a Finance and Mathematics-intensive Business Administration program, maintaining female enrollment rates of 45% or higher is a remarkable testament to Ashesi’s proactive strategies in promoting inclusivity in fields where women are traditionally underrepresented.
See Table 1.0 for sample documentation from 2019 – 2022 of Ashesi’s tracking and comparing male to female graduation rates across our disciplines.
Table 1.0:
Male to Female Graduation Rates Over 4 Years and Support Systems
The graduation trends, as represented in Table 2.0, show, on average, that female students typically outperform or are at par with male students.
Table 2.0
As part of monitoring students’ graduation trajectory, the performance of female and male students is regularly compared each semester. We analyze the students on probation and those on the Dean’s list for gender parity. The trend has shown that female students outperform the male students throughout the year. We are conducting a study to determine why male students are not as academically high-performing as female students.
Another study was conducted in the computer science department to determine what, if any, barriers the female students were experiencing. The study revealed that the most significant barrier the female students in the computer science program faced was a classroom environment where some male peers subtly or overtly made them feel less capable of mastering or excelling in the discipline. We devised a scheme to mitigate this by inviting female engineers and computer scientists as class guest lecturers to debunk the erroneous male perception. Carlien Bou-Chedid, a Civil and Structural/Earthquake Engineer and one of the guest lecturers, was the first female in Ghana’s history to become an engineer, a former President of the Ghana Institute of Engineers, and the first female and first Ghanaian to be elected the president of the Federation of African Engineering Organization (FAEO).
At Ashesi, Mentoring for Academic Success is another scheme used to support female computer science and engineering students. Dr. Ayorkor Korsah, Head of Computer Science, who has a Robotics doctorate, started a Mentoring of Female Computer Science students. Dr. Elena Rosca, a bioengineer and Head of Engineering, also leads the Women in Tech group, providing a space where women in science-related fields can discuss real problems they face in their fields and receive guidance to find workarounds.
“For some of the girls, it’s not just a big accomplishment to be doing engineering, but it is an achievement to even be in school so that they might need some extra attention,” shared Dr. Rosca, Senior Lecturer & Head of Engineering. “My goal is to ensure that all the girls who have been accepted in the program can make it through.”
Additional measures include encouraging participation in female-focused programs such as YAAW _ Yielding Accomplished African Women, including female protagonists in the Leadership Curriculum, and access to the Mothers Lounge (a private space for nursing mothers).
Generally, and in the spirit of equity at Ashesi, all students have access to the services provided by the Career Services, Counselling and Coaching, and Student-tutoring programs, to name a few.
The campus’ zero-tolerance for sexual misconduct and harassment has created a conducive environment for all students and employees, especially women and other marginalized groups, to be their best selves and thrive. Some policies include but are not limited to Non-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy, Maternity & Paternity Leave Policy, and a Gender Integration Policy.
