Ninety top female students were recently awarded scholarships to pursue STEM-related studies under the Mulan Development Program – Otis Scholarships offered by Otis Elevator Company (Otis) with support of China Women’s Development Foundation (CWDF).
The students from Tianjin University, Nanchang University and Zhejiang University of Technology all major in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. They were selected based on their academic performance, ability to innovate and ambition to use technology to improve the world.
The Mulan Development Program – Otis Scholarships was launched in China in 2021 with the goal of helping talented young women establish a solid foundation for entrepreneurship and employment, while also promoting gender equality and diversity in STEM. To date, 180 female STEM students have benefited from this program. The project is part of the Otis Made to Move Communities program, which focuses on advancing youth STEM education around the world and inspiring the development of inclusive mobility solutions.
“Women have been driving technological innovation and contributing to the advancement of science for a long time, and the world stands to benefit greatly from having more female talent in STEM fields. As a long-time advocate of diversity and inclusion, Otis remains committed to working with partners and stakeholders to cultivate STEM talent, including providing female students with opportunities to broaden their experience and develop their passions in STEM fields,” said Jordi Casas, Vice President of Human Resources and Transformation at Otis China.
“The all-round development of female students has always been a focus area of the China Women’s Development Foundation,” said Dong Kui, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Women’s Development Foundation.
“Together with Otis, we look forward to helping even more female students reach greater heights. Our hope for our scholars is that they pursue innovation and their entrepreneurial ambitions to achieve their fullest potential, to contribute to the advancement of all and to be an inspiration for the next generation of girls.”
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020, STEM fields are amongst the fastest growing worldwide and STEM education is pivotal to advancing society. However, these fields lack adequate female representation and are among the most gender-disproportionate.
In the report “Missing out on half of the world’s potential: fewer female than male top achievers in mathematics and science want a career in these fields,” UNESCO and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) noted that there is an urgent need to encourage high-performing girls to consider STEM careers through information and access to role models, mentors and opportunities.