Factors Influencing Gender Representation in IT Faculty Programmes: Insights with a Focus on Software Engineering in a Nordic Context

Software engineering remains male-dominated despite efforts to attract and retain women. Many leave the field due to limited opportunities, unfair treatment, and challenging workplace cultures. Examining university life and choices is important, as these formative experiences shape career aspirations and can help address the root causes of underrepresentation in the industry. The study aimed to deepen understanding of the motivations behind women's choice of a career in IT, their experiences in academic life, and how these experiences influence their career decisions, all within a Nordic context. We used a combination of surveys in the bachelor programmes in the IT faculty and interviews with only women from software engineering (SE) to provide a comprehensive view of population experiences and a closer exploration of the experiences of a smaller sample with a focus on SE.