New group promotes women in IT

A newly launched group called Women@cl (Women at the Computer Laboratory) has been set up to promote the role of women in IT and help them reach the top of the industry.

Women currently account for just one in 20 computing professors, one in eight computing researchers and one in four PhD students.

But according to research from Women@cl, more women aspire to leadership positions in IT than men: 33 per cent to 22 per cent.

"The business case for having diverse teams to tackle these challenges is clear: diverse teams make better progress," said Professor Ursula Martin, of Queen Mary University of London, and director of Women@cl.

"The opportunities for effective, diverse teams decrease when there are too few women in leadership positions.

"We call it the frosted glass ceiling because it's not that it's unbreakable, it's just that we have historically had difficulty seeing through it."

The aim of the project is to provide mentoring, support, career development advice and networking opportunities.

The first meeting will be held at Queen Mary University of London on 20 December and the group will hold regular national and regional workshops.