India, UK launch 'Women in Space Leadership Programme'

New Delhi: India and the UK on Wednesday launched a 'Women in Space Leadership Programme (WiSLP)' with an aim to create a gender-inclusive environment in the field of space scienes.

The initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with the British Council as part of the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) focuses on supporting institutions in strengthening gender-inclusive practices in space sciences by developing a strategic leadership framework.

"By building a robust leadership framework, we can empower women to contribute meaningfully to scientific research and innovation," said Dr Vandana Singh, Head of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)-KIRAN division at DST.

The programme would involve building sustainable mentoring networks and enhancing scientific innovation by integrating a gender perspective into critical areas such as astrophysics and telecommunications.

The programme will aid 250 early career researchers (ECRs) to become better equipped to take up leadership roles and navigate gender biases and associated barriers.

The programme will incorporate mechanisms for networking, awareness-building and peer-to-peer mentoring.

Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Director Annapurni Subramaniam encouraged women to engage early in the growing field of space science, which is expanding into diverse areas such as engineering and social sciences.

British Council India Deputy Director Michael Houlgate emphasized the importance of collaboration in solving global challenges and called for increased representation of women in STEM fields.

Over the years, the UKIERI has facilitated over 25,000 academic exchanges across 4,500 educational institutions, strengthening collaboration across research and industry sectors between India and the UK.