Empowering Women in Engineering: The American University of Sharjah Experience

Women's representation in engineering has progressively increased worldwide, yet significant gender gaps remain in enrollment, retention, and professional participation. Globally, women constitute a minority within engineering programs-commonly between 20% and 30% of total enrollments-while their progression into leadership and industry roles remains comparatively low. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), government-driven initiatives and cultural shifts have accelerated women's engagement in engineering disciplines. Female engineering enrollment in many UAE universities is on an upward trajectory, in some cases approaching or surpassing international averages. Despite this encouraging trend, challenges persist, including underrepresentation in advanced research roles and slower progression into senior industry positions. Against this broader landscape, the American University of Sharjah (AUS) demonstrates a notable increase in female student intake and sustained engagement in its engineering programs. AUS's targeted recruitment efforts, supportive campus environment, and mentorship opportunities contribute to higher female retention rates and promising career trajectories postgraduation. AUS efforts specifically illustrate how institutional support, and societal endorsement can catalyze women's advancement and success in engineering at levels comparable to-and in certain cases exceeding-international standards. This paper shares the current practices and support mechanisms adopted by the College of Engineering at AUS, to enhance the Women's participation and progression within the Engineering Discipline.