Team Heilbronn University

• Prof. Dr. Nicola Marsden
• Team Lab für Social Informatics

01.01.2025-31.12.2027

Network partners

Kompetenzzentrums Technik-Diversity-Chancengleichheit e.V. 

Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.

The goal of the BMBF collaborative project Tech2stay, led by Heilbronn University, the Kompetenzzentrum Technik-Diversity-Chancengleichheit e.V. (Center of Excellence for Technology, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity), and the Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society), is to sustainably improve the conditions for women in the IT industry and to encourage them to remain in the field over the long term

Alarming figures indicate that a large proportion of women who enter the IT sector eventually leave it. However, there is a lack of systematic data in Germany regarding the extent of this exodus and potential intervention strategies.

This is where Tech2stay comes in: drawing on behavioral science research, it aims to make the everyday practices that shape the professional and corporate culture in IT more gender-equitable. Through participatory research involving women in IT as well as those who have left the field, the development and exploration of innovative interventions are carried out in collaboration with companies to increase the retention of women in IT and to sustainably harness their potential in this sector, which is crucial to the German government’s high-tech strategy.

The collaborative project comprises a framework of measures in three formats: First, Tech2stay enables, for the first time, a quantitative assessment of the issue of women’s retention in the IT sector in Germany. Second, the project utilizes the research infrastructure of a real-world laboratory to develop, implement, and apply effective intervention strategies. Third, an ongoing dialogue between academia and practice supports iterative development and continuous knowledge transfer.

The project findings will be translated into practical recommendations for use in businesses, published, and disseminated in academic journals. In addition, they will be communicated through targeted press and public relations efforts to reach and inform decision-makers in politics and business.