Dutch Engineering University Highlights Stark Gender Gap with Student-Alumni Dialogue
Eindhoven, Wednesday, 11 February 2026.
At Eindhoven University of Technology, only 5 women appeared among 200 students at a recent Mechanical Engineering exam, illustrating the persistent gender imbalance in technical fields. The university marked International Day of Women and Girls in Science by featuring current student Ymke Tolboom and 1991 alumna Charlotte Philips in a campus conversation about navigating male-dominated engineering environments and the critical importance of female role models for normalizing women’s presence in STEM disciplines.
Contemporary Challenges in Engineering Education
The stark numerical reality at TU Eindhoven reflects broader patterns in technical education. Tolboom, who began her Master’s in Systems and Control at the Department of Mechanical Engineering in September 2025, recently observed this gender disparity firsthand when she counted only 5 women among 200 students during a recent examination [1]. This 2.5 percentage represents a mere 2.5% female participation rate in what remains one of Europe’s leading technical universities. The situation prompted both women to reflect on the systemic barriers that continue to limit female participation in engineering disciplines, despite decades of awareness campaigns and policy initiatives.
Generational Perspectives on Progress and Persistence
Charlotte Philips, who studied Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration from 1985 to 1991 and currently serves as a digital program manager at Unica Building Projects, brings a historical perspective to current challenges [1]. ‘My mother fought for my position at TU/e. I took advantage of the opportunities and certainly had chances. But I also missed out on career opportunities because I was treated differently from my male colleagues,’ Philips reflected during the February 11, 2026 dialogue [1]. Her experience spans nearly four decades of change in engineering education, yet she acknowledges that progress remains frustratingly slow despite increased female presence in academic positions. ‘I see more female professors and women pursuing doctorates. In my day, that wasn’t always the case for women. Things are a lot better now,’ she noted [1].
Strategic Initiatives and Role Model Networks
Tolboom’s leadership extends beyond her academic pursuits through her founding of the ‘Women at the Top’ initiative four years prior to 2026, creating structured opportunities for female students to connect with established professionals [1][2]. ‘I think it’s important for female students to meet female role models and experience that it’s normal,’ Tolboom emphasized during their campus conversation [1]. The initiative represents a practical response to what both women identify as a critical gap in engineering education: the absence of visible female leadership that can normalize women’s presence in technical fields. The next ‘Women at the Top’ event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, continuing this effort to bridge generational divides in engineering [1].
Institutional Evolution and Future Directions
TU Eindhoven’s approach to attracting female students has evolved significantly since Philips’ era, with strategic program diversification playing a key role. ‘Research within the university has become more diverse. In my day, the focus was on cars and production facilities,’ Philips observed, highlighting how the institution has broadened its appeal [1]. The launch of the Biomedical Engineering program exemplifies this shift, attracting women by offering opportunities to apply technology in medical fields rather than traditional industrial applications [1][2]. This programmatic evolution reflects a broader understanding that attracting women to engineering requires not just changing perceptions, but fundamentally expanding the scope and application of technical education. Philips advises current female students to actively seek work environments with greater female representation and to share experiences openly to better understand both possibilities and challenges in technical careers [2].