Women in computing A case study about Kuwait

Female under-representation in the field of computing has been a global concern. According to recent research studies in the US, females are less likely than males to consider a career or a degree in computer-related fields. Opposite trends have been appearing in other parts of the world showing a high female turnout in computer studies. One of those countries is Kuwait, a small country situated in the Persian Gulf. According the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the percentage of female graduates in tertiary education in Kuwait has reached 69% in 2009 (80% in science related disciplines). Female undergraduate enrollment in computing studies in Kuwait is in the range of 40 to 50 percent, which is considerably high compared to other parts of the world. In this paper, we present a case study about women in computing in Kuwait, through which we highlight their motivations for studying computer science and information systems. A survey was conducted among male and female university students in Kuwait about attitudes and perceptions on females in computing and reasons for joining computer studies. The results were analyzed and compared to similar studies in the US.