More than a career: Global Engineering Girls are paving the way for more women in engineering
- 94% of current GEG students surveyed in Türkiye joined the initiative to help increase women’s representation in engineering, according to research being presented at COP31.
- 76% of alumnae said their subsequent careers had contributed towards that goal.
- 72% of GEG students surveyed in Türkiye were attracted to the initiative by internship and support in job placement.
Antalya, 14 November 2026 - Global Engineer Girls (GEG), a philanthropic initiative under the Limak Foundation, shared the findings of its first Social Impact Report at COP31 in Antalya. According to the research, 94% of students surveyed in Türkiye joined the initiative because they wanted to increase women's representation in engineering. Conducted in Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Kosovo and North Macedonia, the research highlights the challenges young women face in engineering education, as well as the impact of mentoring and role models on their professional development.
Founded in 2015 by Ebru Özdemir, Chair of Limak Holding, GEG supports young women from engineering education into the workforce through mentoring, training, internships and an international network of women engineers. Over ten years, it has supported more than 2,000 young women. The study conducted by the independent research agency FutureBright Group draws on in-depth interviews and surveys with 178 students, alumnae, mentors and partner organisations.
The decision to present the report at COP31 was deliberate. A fair climate transition needs women among the engineers who design it, and the conference’s Youth Day offered a platform for young women to share the future they want to help build. The report brought the aspirations of GEG participants into that conversation. Asked to imagine a world designed by women, they described cities with clean air, green space, renewable energy and room for every generation.
Ebru Ozdemir said: “As an engineer, I recognise the barriers these young women describe. Encouraging women to study engineering is only the start. Employers also need to open routes into work through practical experience, mentoring and workplaces where women can build a career. Through GEG, we hear what that support means for the young women we work with.”
As part of interviews conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kosovo and North Macedonia, countries where GEG has operated for more than three years, participants described classrooms and teams where they are outnumbered and had to keep proving their ability. An engineering and informatics graduate from Kosovo said that in group projects “the assumption is often that a male student is the leader, even if he contributed little, while the female student who led the work is overlooked.” Their ambition is to make the path easier for the women who follow. “Being a woman in the engineering field is not easy; the field is mostly men,” said an electrical and communication engineering student from Saudi Arabia. “I am proud of being a woman in that field, and I want to be a reason for increasing and normalising having female engineers.” A computer science and engineering student from North Macedonia described the mentor she intends to become: “I would encourage female students to step out of their comfort zones and explore more opportunities.”
Mentoring helps young women build confidence
The impact of the support provided by GEG was also reflected in participants' personal experiences. Students are drawn to GEG by a range of support, and the research finds that its most lasting impact comes through mentors and role models, from which 87% of students said they have benefited. A civil engineering student from North Macedonia said she had initially doubted her professional abilities but gained confidence through the support of her mentors.
GEG's international network of women engineers also provided participants with a sense of solidarity and belonging. “When I hear GEG, I feel proud,” said an industrial and systems engineering graduate from Saudi Arabia. “I found my people who look like me, not only locally, but around the world.” In the study conducted in Türkiye, all current students and 98% of program graduates indicated that they wish to remain within the GEG network in the coming years.
Young women envision greener cities
The report also explored young women's visions of a more sustainable and inclusive future. When participants were asked to imagine a world designed by women, their responses emphasised environments built with sustainability at the core. “In a woman’s world, they have eco-friendly buildings. Everything is made from natural materials, there are more trees and greenery, and renewable energy is used.” said a computer science and engineering student from North Macedonia. A civil engineering graduate from Kosovo described “a cleaner, more inclusive environment with spaces for children, the elderly, recreation, and nature.”
Achieving a just climate transition requires greater representation of women among the engineers designing the infrastructure, technologies and living environments of the future. According to a March 2025 analysis by the World Economic Forum, women account for 28.2% of the global STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce, but hold only 12.2% of senior leadership positions in STEM.
The findings were presented at a panel with the GEG Founder Ebru Özdemir, GEG Coordinator, Valentina Gara, GEG student Türkü Topaktaş, and moderated by Iulia Trandafir, Founder of Rosentell and Adviser to GEG. The full report is available here.
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Note to editors
About GEG
Global Engineer Girls (GEG), a programme run by the Limak Foundation, aims to increase women's representation in engineering and promote the employment of qualified women in the field. Launched in 2015 as Engineer Girls of Türkiye (Türkiye’nin Mühendis Kızları, TMK), it expanded internationally under the Global Engineer Girls name in 2022. The programme provides young women studying engineering with mentoring, training, internships and access to international professional networks. It has supported more than 2,000 young women to date and operates in eight countries: Türkiye, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Mozambique, Côte d’Ivoire and the United Kingdom.
Research methodology
The research was conducted by FutureBright in 2025. In Türkiye, 34 in-depth online interviews were conducted, alongside an online survey involving 79 current students and 41 programme alumnae. In Saudi Arabia, Kosovo and North Macedonia, in-depth online interviews were conducted with GEG scholarship recipients. Findings from the interviews in these countries are qualitative and are not statistically representative of all students in those countries. Participant quotations have been anonymised.