• The Women in Digital Forum is a strategic platform promoted by the EU, working to address the structural causes of the gender gap in the digital domain.
• The UDC’s ICT Research Centre will contribute by promoting the presence of women in education, digital careers, and leadership roles.

A Coruña, 12 August 2025— The Centre for Research in Information and Communication Technologies at the University of A Coruña (CITIC), center of the CIGUS Network of the Xunta de Galicia, has been admitted as an institutional member of the Women in Digital Forum, a key initiative driven by the European Union under the Digital Europe programme. This membership strengthens the UDC centre’s commitment to promoting gender equality within the digital ecosystem.

The Women in Digital Forum is a high-level strategic platform that works to address the structural causes of the gender gap in the digital sphere. Its mission is to generate concrete policy recommendations, mobilise cooperation among diverse social stakeholders, and foster inclusive practices involving policymakers, industry leaders, educational institutions, and civil society across Europe. In line with the 2024 State of the Digital Decade report, the Forum actively contributes to the European goal of doubling the number of ICT specialists by 2030 and increasing female participation in the sector to at least 40%.

Participación en grupos temáticos

CITIC will contribute its expertise to the Forum’s thematic working groups, focusing on fostering the presence of women in higher education and vocational training linked to ICT, enhancing their participation in the early and mid-stages of digital careers, and promoting their access to leadership positions within the sector. Through these collaborative lines of action, the centre will help build a more inclusive and equitable digital transformation.

To ensure strong and specialised participation, CITIC’s Standing Equality Group appointed María Suárez Taboada on 14 July as the designated contact person to coordinate actions within the framework of the Forum. Her appointment reinforces the institution’s commitment to embedding a gender perspective across all dimensions of research, innovation, and technology transfer.

CITIC’s incorporation into the Women in Digital Forum marks a decisive step in consolidating its role as an active agent in promoting equal opportunities in the technology field, fully aligning with the European Union’s strategic priorities for the coming Digital Decade.

Support the European Commission

The Forum will directly support the European Commission and Member States in achieving the objectives set out in the Digital Decade strategic programme. In particular, it will focus on enhancing women’s participation in digital education and careers, fostering inclusive digital innovation ecosystems, and strengthening the EU’s talent pool through gender-balanced policies.

About CITIC

CITIC is a research center that drives progress and excellence in R&D&I applied to ICTs. Established in 2008 by the Universidade da Coruña, the center’s scientific activity is structured into four core research areas: Artificial Intelligence; Data Science and Engineering; High-Performance Computing; and Smart Services and Networks — along with a transversal area that spans all of them: Cybersecurity.

CITIC is accredited as a Center of Excellence and member of the CIGUS Network for the 2024–2027 period, validating the quality and impact of its research. The center’s accreditation, structural development, and enhancement are co-financed by the Xunta de Galicia and 60% by the European Union under the ERDF Galicia 2021–2027 Operational Programme, under the thematic objective of fostering “a smarter Europe: innovative and smart economic transformation” (ED431G 2023/01).