Meet the female changemakers looking to shape the future of tech

In this edition of Sci-Tech, reporter Damon Embling heads to Warsaw, to meet a group of young women hoping to help close the gender gap in the tech sector.

The Summer School for Female Leadership in the Digital Age, organised by Huawei, aims to equip students with the skills and tools they need to shape, and lead, the digital future.

We follow the journey of Cassandra, from Spain, and Mylana from Ukraine, who are among the 29 students in town for an intensive week of learning.

The school is packed with workshops and panels, covering everything from AI and ethics to public speaking and entrepreneurship. Expert mentors come from business, politics, education and beyond.

Huawei’s Berta Herrero Estalayo tells Damon about the importance of more women creating and having a say in what future tech should look like, with females continuing to be outnumbered by men in the EU’s ICT sector.

Sabina Ciofu, from techUK, which represents and supports the UK technology sector, highlights that “good tech” needs diversity both in terms of backgrounds and thought. She says she would love to see more women who study philosophy or law take-up a career in the industry, not just more female computer science graduates.

After a packed week of learning, the students celebrate and reflect at a goodbye gala and awards ceremony. Cassandra is crowned Presence and Purpose Queen, while an emotional Mylana scoops the top accolade of Future Leader.