In 2022, the Australian Government appointed an independent panel to find ways to improve diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As part of this review, the government commissioned ACIL Allen to evaluate the women in STEM initiatives that receive government funding.

The report considers the extent the initiatives: 

• have improved diversity in STEM
• were well-designed
• delivered impact for girls and women
• were administered and delivered efficiently.

The evaluation addresses key evaluation questions across the following domains: 

1. Appropriateness: How appropriate was the design of the initiatives in terms of the rationale and context, design, inclusion, and continuing need for intervention?
2. Efficiency and effectiveness: Were the initiatives administered and delivered efficiently?
3. Outcomes and impact: Did the initiatives work when considering their short-, medium-, and long-term impacts and unintended impacts on girls and women?

The method included an overarching analysis of the WiSTEM initiatives and an initiativespecific analysis. The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach to gather and analyse qualitative and quantitative data. This drew on publicly available data, a survey of initiative participants, consultation with the department, delivery partners, government and industry representatives, and initiative data and information.

Key findings

• The evaluation found limited connectivity between the 9 initiatives, either structurally or operationally.
• Future directions should consider the specific experiences of underrepresented cohorts to determine where tailored programs are needed to provide effective support and address specific systemic barriers.
• Future grant agreements should include defined requirements for reach and impact assessment, linked to an overarching evaluation framework to support a consistent approach across initiatives.