In the 2023/2024 winter semester, women comprised 50.9% of all enrolled students, according to the Centre for Higher Education (CHE), as reported on Thursday. This marks an increase from 50.2% in the 2021/2022 winter semester, which was the first time women constituted the majority. The CHE’s study highlights a significant development, given that Johanna Kappes made history just 125 years ago as the first woman to enroll at a German university. Cort-Denis Hachmeister, a data analyst at CHE, noted that more women than men are now eligible to pursue higher education, partly due to the Abitur, the primary examination for college and university admission in Germany. Additionally, new academic training opportunities in nursing and healthcare have contributed to this trend. Despite the progress, distinct differences between male and female study paths persist, reflecting traditional gender roles. Women represent a smaller fraction in fields such as computer science (22.5%) and electrical engineering and IT (15.6%), while they predominate in areas like educational sciences (79.6%) and veterinary medicine (86%). Hachmeister emphasized that such imbalances can exacerbate issues like the gender pay gap and skills shortages in specific sectors. However, there are exceptions, such as women making up 70% of students in German language and literature, and both women and men showing a strong interest in studying business administration and economics. Sean Sinico edited this report.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/women-still-majority-at-german-colleges-study-shows/a-71843287?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf