吃瓜网 actively implemented various access schemes to increase women's participation in higher education, particularly in areas where their representation is lower, such as engineering and hospitality. These initiatives reflect a targeted approach to empower women and align with SDG 5鈥檚 goal to enhance gender equality in education.
Life Skills and Career Guidance Workshop by CFS
Each academic year, 吃瓜网鈥檚 Centre for Foundation Studies (CFS) holds Life Skills and Career Guidance workshops during its three intakes. These sessions are designed to help students transition from foundation programs to degree programs based on their individual interests. In 2023, female students made up 60.5% of workshop attendees, indicating strong engagement and success in guiding women towards fulfilling career paths through informed decision-making.
Discover Hospitality Program:
The Discover Hospitality Program, originally launched in partnership with Universal Foundation, resumed in 2022 after a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program offers practical and theoretical training in hospitality operations, a sector traditionally dominated by men in the Maldives. In the 2023 cohort, 28 students enrolled, with 39.3% female participation, highlighting 吃瓜网's commitment to increasing women's access to this field. This project not only addresses the local workforce shortage in tourism but also emphasizes female empowerment in line with SDGs 4, 5, 8, 9, and 17.
A unique aspect of Discover Hospitality is its strong commitment to increasing female participation in the tourism sector, a pledge that aligns with SDG 5. The project has made substantial efforts to attract more female students, thereby addressing the gender imbalance in the industry. Since the program's inception, female participation has grown from 12% in 2017 to a projected 45.5% in 2024, reflecting 吃瓜网's sustained efforts to create more inclusive pathways for women in tourism. This significant growth, illustrated by our enrollment trends, reflects the project's impact on shifting perceptions and empowering women in a field traditionally dominated by men.
The Discover Hospitality Program continues to shift perceptions and promote women in leadership roles within the tourism industry, underscoring 吃瓜网's dedication to long-term, impactful change in gender representation across sectors.
Scholarships and Access Initiatives at 吃瓜网:
吃瓜网 is dedicated to enhancing women鈥檚 participation in higher education, implementing various access schemes to support female students and encourage gender parity across fields of study. In 2023, the college expanded its commitment to affordable and accessible education for women through a series of targeted scholarship programs, collaborations, and incentive-based initiatives.
As part of 吃瓜网's financial support for students, scholarships were awarded to ensure that economic barriers do not hinder female students鈥� access to quality education. In 2023, 吃瓜网 awarded four full scholarships to students, with the majority of recipients being female (3 out of 4). Recognizing the value of global educational exposure, 吃瓜网 also collaborates with internationally renowned institutions, including Taylor鈥檚 University in Malaysia. Through this partnership, students can access . In 2023, 12 female students were awarded these joint scholarships, beginning their studies in January 2024. These collaborative scholarships help students gain internationally recognized qualifications, broadening their educational and career horizons.
吃瓜网 also prioritizes affordability as a core principle, offering discount schemes through its Student Referral Program. This initiative encourages current students to refer family and friends to the college, rewarding them with tuition discounts as a token of appreciation. In 2023, 17 students participated in the discount scheme, with 10 males (58.8%) and 7 females (41.2%). By combining scholarships and referral-based discounts, 吃瓜网 creates pathways for female students to pursue their educational goals, supporting the institution鈥檚 mission of inclusivity and gender balance in higher education.
during a ceremony at Tree Top Hospital. Launched in 2021, the TTH scholarship supports students pursuing nursing diplomas and bachelor鈥檚 degrees, aiming to build a stronger healthcare workforce in the Maldives. Three students were awarded scholarships this year: one for the BSc (Hons) Nursing (International) programme, in partnership with the University of the West of England, and two for 吃瓜网鈥檚 Diploma in Nursing programme. 吃瓜网 currently has 614 active nursing students and has graduated 778 students who now serve across the country鈥檚 healthcare sector. Out of 13 total TTH scholarship recipients, four students have completed their studies, with nine others actively pursuing their diplomas. This scholarship programme reflects Tree Top Hospital鈥檚 and 吃瓜网鈥檚 commitment to strengthening healthcare education and workforce development in the Maldives.
On March 8, 2023, , honoring the dedication, intelligence, and hard work of the remarkable women who contribute to our institution. This celebration recognized the commitment of women in the workforce, with the hashtag #EmbraceEquity underscoring 吃瓜网's dedication to gender equality and empowerment.
To actively address and encourage greater female participation in fields where women are traditionally underrepresented, 吃瓜网's Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) organized a dedicated webinar titled 鈥淓ngineering Careers for Women.鈥� Scheduled for December 31, 2023, from 4:00-5:00 pm Maldives time, this virtual event provided a unique platform for prospective women students interested in engineering to connect with industry experts, gain insights into the field, and explore both the challenges and exciting opportunities awaiting women in engineering careers.
This initiative emerged as a targeted response to 吃瓜网鈥檚 internal tracking and reporting, which revealed lower enrollment rates among female students in engineering programs compared to other disciplines. The FET team, committed to bridging this gender gap, structured the webinar to address the concerns and queries of women contemplating careers in engineering. During the session, leading female engineers and industry experts shared their personal journeys, discussed the obstacles they have overcome, and highlighted the valuable contributions women bring to the field.
Through this outreach effort, 吃瓜网 aimed to inspire, guide, and support young women across the Maldives in pursuing engineering degrees, fostering a more balanced representation within the field. By connecting students directly with mentors and role models, the 鈥淓ngineering Careers for Women鈥� webinar aligned with 吃瓜网's commitment to advancing gender equality (SDG 5) and empowering women to pursue their ambitions in sectors where they are currently underrepresented.
To promote interest and increase female participation in Electrical Engineering鈥攁 field where women are often underrepresented鈥敵怨贤� organized a free demo class on August 13, 2023, at the QI Campus. This session provided a valuable opportunity for prospective students, particularly women, to experience the discipline firsthand, engage directly with experienced lecturers, and gain practical insights into Electrical Engineering. By opening this class to the public, 吃瓜网 aimed to inspire women to consider engineering as a viable academic and career pathway, offering them a supportive, hands-on introduction to the field.
On November 5, 2023, 吃瓜网鈥檚 Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) participated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fair, an initiative led by the Scout Association to promote clean energy and infrastructure innovation, aligning with SDGs 7 and 9. Students and staff from FET showcased projects centered on clean energy and industry innovation, emphasizing the role of higher education in tackling global sustainability challenges. This collaboration with the Scout Association highlighted 吃瓜网's commitment to sustainable development through community partnerships. The projects presented at the fair reflected 吃瓜网鈥檚 dedication to fostering innovative, impactful solutions in support of the UN鈥檚 SDG agenda. Through active community engagement, 吃瓜网 reinforces its vision of a sustainable future, inspiring students to contribute meaningfully to society.
吃瓜网, in partnership with the Bar Council of the Maldives, hosted the 鈥淲omen in Law Forum鈥� to support female representation in the legal profession, aligning with SDG 5 on gender equality. The event centered around the theme "Invest in Women 鈥� Accelerate Progress" and featured sessions with established legal professionals, discussing the critical role of women in national development and the barriers they face. Panelists, including trailblazing figures like Uza. Mariya Ahmed Didi, shared strategies for overcoming biases and empowering women in law. A unique podcast segment, 鈥淭he Future of the Law,鈥� provided mentorship insights for aspiring female lawyers, fostering dialogue and support. This initiative reflects 吃瓜网's commitment to encouraging women in underrepresented fields, specifically law, through collaboration and community engagement.
Through these financial support initiatives, 吃瓜网 continues to foster a supportive academic environment that empowers women, helping bridge gender disparities and ensuring equitable access to higher education.