Women in STEM in Asia
Asia is the largest and most varied region for women-in-STEM programs - from coordinated national ecosystems in Korea and Singapore to rapidly expanding initiatives in India and the Gulf states.
The regional picture
Women's participation in STEM across Asia varies more by country than perhaps any other region. East Asian high-income countries (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore) have strong educational pipelines but persistent workforce gaps. South Asian countries (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh) have varied patterns shaped by national education and labour-market structures. Southeast Asian countries are heterogeneous, with Singapore among the global leaders in women in tech and several others in earlier stages of program development. The Gulf states have rapidly expanded women's STEM education over the past decade.
Major national programs by country
- India: KIRAN, Vigyan Jyoti, INSPIRE, GATI - see our India page
- South Korea: WISET, multiple NRF programs - see our Korea page
- Japan: JST-funded mentorship programs, MEXT graduate fellowships
- China: CAS Women Scientist programs, NSFC career-development grants
- Singapore: A*STAR fellowships, SG Women in Tech
- Taiwan: NSTC programs, multiple university-led initiatives
- Thailand: National Science and Technology Development Agency gender programs
- Vietnam: Growing programs at Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Vietnam National University
- Philippines: DOST-SEI scholarships
Regional networks
- Asia Pacific Women in Science (APNN) - regional convening network
- OWSD regional chapters - active across South and Southeast Asia
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women and the Economy Forum - STEM streams
- Arab Women in Computing - chapters across Middle East