These applications are related with promoting and increasing the participation of women in these careers, thus contributing to the reduction of gender gaps in these disciplines. 

With the aim of reducing the gender gaps that exist in the country, in different areas and subjects of knowledge, the University of La Serena joined the 39 universities attached to the Admission System that will offer more than 2.300 exclusive places to women, additional to regular vacancies, in more than 400 careers in the STEM areas (acronym in English for science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

The above, within the framework of the "More female scientists (+MC)" program to which higher education institutions adhered, given the average enrollment gap between women and men that reaches 61,9% in the STEM area, according to the Ministry of Education report.

"Even though the percentage of women who access and graduate from higher education is higher, in these areas the gap is still very pronounced," said Víctor Orellana, Undersecretary of Higher Education, in LUN note, a media outlet that highlights the implementation of this initiative.

According to what was reported by Alex Arancibia, person in charge of Admission and Enrollment ULS, in order to apply for these special places, the requirements established for the centralized application for the careers that participate in the +MC Program must be met, that is, submit the required tests, have an average and/or weighted score equal to or greater than the established minimum and apply through the Access System on the defined dates.

These places will be assigned exclusively to students identified as women according to the Civil Registry, according to the data from the latest update received by the Ministry of Education (at the beginning of December 2023). In the case of students registered with a Student Personal Identifier (IPE), female students will be considered at the time of the IPE request to the Ministry of Education.

The ULS offers 1 place per race from the following list:

1. Civil Engineering

2. Environmental Civil Engineering

3. Civil Mining Engineering

4. Industrial Civil Engineering

5. Mechanical Civil Engineering

6. Mining Engineering

7. Food Engineering

8. Computer Engineering

9. Construction Engineering

10. Mechanical Engineering

11. Bachelor of Physics

12. Bachelor of Astronomy

13. Chemistry

The results of the +MC places will be reported along with the selection results for regular admission, BEA and PACE, on January 16, 2024 on the site access.mineduc.cl.

It should be noted that the “More Women Scientists” initiative arises from the report Gender Gaps in Higher Education, prepared by the Higher Education Information Service (SIES) in 2022, which details the differences in access rates between men and women in careers in the area.

While 81% of men enroll in this type of discipline in their first year, only 19% of women do so.

Written by Patricia Castro, DirCom