Women in engineering — Opportunities and challenges in Al Gharbia region of UAE

Engineering drives socio-economic and human development that underpins the societies and infrastructure. It is a major factor in innovation and indeed in the rise and fall of civilizations. The work of engineers forms the link between scientific discoveries and their subsequent applications to human needs and quality of life. Provision of knowledge platforms and opportunities alike for both men and women, helps scientific society to broaden its achievements and consequently improve the industry outcomes and ensures a nation's sustainable development. The need to engage more women to study STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects is a worldwide challenge. This paper, by a group of female engineering students, attempts to shed light on the efforts of the great leaders and reformers of the UAE in women empowerment, creating policies and incentives to promote engineering education and providing women with a choice of job and career opportunities. This paper also traces the changes in the women's status over the years in the country in general and in the Al Gharbia region (Western Region, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi) in specific through the survey results.