德國培育女性科技人才之動因與對策

Strategies Implemented in Germany for Increasing the Number of Women in Science and Technology

德國產業結構以先進的機械製造業見長，且比其他經濟體更加仰賴MINT（數學、資訊科學、自然科學與科技之德文縮寫）專業人才，尤其工業4.0崛起後，科技人才需求孔殷，但德國卻面臨人口老化、科技人才短缺的窘境，因此亟需積極培育女性科技人才。再者，德國女性獲得高等教育機會的比例過半，但性別隔離現象依然十分明顯，女性投入MINT領域的比例甚低。基於上述因素，本文探討德國產業發展需求與其相關促進性別平等之動因，並針對培育女性科技人才之教育對策與成效進行分析探討。為改善女性科技人才不足的問題，德國在中小學階段推出多項政策，包括「改進和提高數理教學品質」計畫、「德國學校獎」、「中小學數位教育協定」等，尤其「女孩節」更是針對提升女性科技人才比例之舉措。女孩節在各方支援下，為5－10年級女生提供一個親身觀察體驗科技產業，以便能發掘女性在科技相關職業領域的潛力。經過前述對策，女性投入MINT的比例有明顯提升。德國的經驗相當值得臺灣參考。

Advanced manufacturing is the mainstay of the German economy, and the nation's industrial structure is highly dependent on personnel with advanced skills in four particular areas: mathematics, informatics, natural sciences, and technology (MINT), the last of which has become especially important since the sudden advent of the Industry 4.0 era. However, with a rapidly aging population, Germany is now facing an acute shortage of skilled technicians, making it necessary to train more women for jobs requiring advanced technical skills. Nonetheless, even though over half of German women now have some degree of higher education, due to the pronounced gender segregation in education, very few of them choose to study in one of the MINT academic disciplines. In addressing this increasingly pressing issue, various measures have been implemented in primary and secondary education, including the Steigerung der Effizienz des mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts (SINUS) qualitydevelopment program in science and mathematics instruction, the German School Prize, the Protocol of Digital Education at Primary and Secondary Schools, and the Girls' Day—Future Prospects for Girls program. Amongst these, with support from various sectors of society, Girls' Day organizes field trips for girls in grades five through ten, providing the opportunity to become interested in pursuing a career in a field requiring technological expertise. The combined result of these various measures has been a marked increase in the number of women pursuing degrees in one of the MINT academic disciplines.