Chapter 6: Gender Mainstreaming in STEM Education Within Higher Education Institutions: Strategic Approaches and SDG Alignment

This chapter illustrates the role of gender mainstreaming in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education within higher education institutions (HEIs) and its contribution towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 4 about Quality Education and SDG 5 about Gender Equality. To begin with, it addresses gender imbalances in academic participation, curriculum considerations, representation in leadership roles and institutional cultures specific to STEM fields within HEIs. The chapter then presents strategic models and institutional practices to showcase how gender-sensitive approaches in all areas of STEM education could nurture inclusiveness, equity and academic excellence. Through curriculum revision, greater female leadership in STEM areas and fostering supportive campus environments within HEIs, this can be achieved. The study also points out the need for systematic monitoring and evaluation based on gender-sensitive indicators and the disaggregation of data to track and enforce progress. Practical measures recommended embrace reworking academic structures, designing inclusive policies and developing an institutional agenda that fits well within the broader global development agenda. At the end of it all, the chapter positions the gender mainstreaming paradigm in STEM within HEIs as a transformative conduit for educational and social equity, innovativeness and sustainable development.