10 Years of Hessen-Technikum

PRESS RELEASE 14.07.2023

10 years of Hessen-Technikum: STEM orientation program will increasingly target first-generation female university graduates in the future 14.07.2023

Darmstadt – For the past 10 years, the Hessen-Technikum program, developed at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (h_da), has been aimed at young women who want to find out if a STEM degree or a career in STEM fields is right for them. The orientation program now boasts 160 graduates, 90% of whom enroll in STEM studies. In the future, the Hessen-Technikum, which has now been rolled out across the state, also plans to increasingly target first-generation female university graduates: young women whose parents did not attend university.

STEM orientation program

Spending a semester exploring STEM fields through a taster course and two paid internships at companies: This is the concept behind the Hessen-Technikum program, which was first launched as a pilot project at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences in 2013 and has been offered at all Hessian universities of applied sciences since 2018. Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences is the central project manager, and the state of Hesse funds this STEM orientation program. The goal is to increase the proportion of young women in STEM fields, where they are traditionally significantly underrepresented.

In the future, the Hessen-Technikum program aims to attract more young women who are the first in their families to attend university. To this end, collaboration with schools will be intensified to reach female students from disadvantaged backgrounds as early as possible, as these students, lacking role models, often don't consider university studies. Preparatory courses will also be offered to impart the skills necessary for university studies. A mentoring program is being planned to complement this, allowing young women to exchange ideas and experiences with Hessen-Technikum graduates and current STEM students. Furthermore, greater emphasis will be placed on supporting participants from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

Female first-generation university graduates are particularly disadvantaged, as they often come from families where university studies are simply not an option. With the Hessen-Technikum program, we aim to create greater permeability within the education system in the future.

“Too few women are still choosing to study or train in STEM fields. There is certainly no lack of interest, but a lack of female role models and guidance, as our program demonstrates,” says Prof. Dr. Yvonne Haffner, central project manager of the Hessen-Technikum. “Women who are the first to attend university are particularly disadvantaged, as they often come from families where university studies simply don't seem like an option. With the Hessen-Technikum, we aim to create greater permeability within the education system in the future.”

The next Hessen-Technikum program starts in October 2023. The application deadline is September 1, 2023. Detailed information is available on the orientation program's website: https://www.hessen-technikum.de/