Premier departments are making efforts to increase the participation of women. For example, in the early 1990's when the percentage of women undergraduate Computer Science majors at MIT dropped to 20%, this became a source of concern. In many departments, the percentage is far lower; e.g., 6% at ETH in 1999, according to the Sommer 1999 Semesterprogramm.
As the number of males entering college decreases (due to decreased birthrates), it will become even more difficult for industry to fill their technical positions unless talented women successfully complete degree programs.
Can a country compete in a global economy when half of its talented citizens find it difficult to receive technical training?
`` `Alle Dienststellen haben in ihrem Bereich die Gleichstellung zu verwirklichen.' Mit diesem Grundsatz hat der Schweizerische Bundesrat 1991 die `Weisung über die Verbesserung der Vertretung und der beruflichen Stellung des weibliche Personals in der allgemeinen Bundesverwaltung' erlassen. Gleichstellung an der ETH Zürich bedeutet grundsätzlich, dass die Chancengleichheit von Frauen und Männern sichergestellt ist."``All departments have to achieve equality within their area." With this principle the Swiss Federal Council legislated the direction of the improvement of the representation of female personnel in the federal government. Equality at the ETH means that the equality of opportunity of men and women is secured."
http://www.equal.ethz.ch/scg/scg.html
``It is the goal of the University of Maryland System to assure that women and minorities are equitably represented among the student body, faculty, staff, and administration of the institutions constituting the System, so that the System reflects the diversity of the State's population."
132.0 VI-1.00-Policy on Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, Bylaws of the Board of Regents, University of Maryland http://umdacc.umd.edu/policies