STEM skills are essential to address pressing Sustainable Development Goal challenges in today`s technology driven world. However, not all citizens participate equally in these areas of knowledge. There remains a glaring gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and women are significantly underrepresented in these crucial fields. Despite progress in some areas, the participation of women in STEM careers remains persistently low, and several factors contribute to this gap, reflecting systematic, social and cultural challenges that hinder the full inclusion of women.

According to this reality, the ELEVATE-WISE project was designed; an innovative initiative that seeks to promote the participation of women in STEM fields, with a focus on isolated communities in Cape Verde and Côte d'Ivoire. Through mentoring, training, and scientific dissemination, the project aims to overcome cultural and social barriers, creating a more egalitarian and inclusive future.

It is a project funded by the European Union's Erasmus Program, with a duration of 36 months, having started in October 2024. The consortium is composed of 6 partners: 1 HEI from Spain, 1 HEI from Portugal and 4 HEIs from Sub-Saharan Africa (2 from Côte d'Ivoire and 2 from Cape Verde).

This project is structured into five distinct Work Packages (WP), with three dedicated to the development of project outcomes, and the remaining two focused on transversal or supporting activities, as the following: WP 1 Project Management and coordination; WP2 Preparatory Measures; WP3 Women-STEM HUB for training and mentoring; WP4 Service-learning in HEIs to improve girls’ access to STEM degrees and WP5 Communication and dissemination.

The project methodology follows a participative and open discussion approach focused on the consensus and agreement between all partners. The characterization and analysis of the needs and challenges of the sub-Saharan contexts (Cape Verde and Côte d'Ivoire), to be carried out in WP2, presupposes the use of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, based on the online surveys to the female university students from universities of Cape Verde and Ivory Coast; online Stakeholders interviews; online focus group discussions and analysis of Academic Performance Data. According to the results it will be created and implemented the women STEM HUB for training and mentoring, and service-learning in the beneficiaries’ universities.

Considering the importance and impact that the project will have in these sub-Saharan contexts, we propose to present and discuss it with the scientific community at the EDULEARN25.

Keywords: STEM, education, women, inclusion.