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Flexible Future: How Cyprus Businesses Can Empower Women in STEM

The Women in STEM Cyprus Forum took place on 8 October at Kolla Factory in Limassol, under the auspices of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.

The forum was a landmark event dedicated to empowering and advocating for women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), based on the pillars of empowerment, advocacy, support, and networking. The forum featured a series of thought-provoking speeches and engaging discussions and workshops led by distinguished speakers including government officials, tech ambassadors and thought leaders.

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Tanya Romanyukha, General Manager at TechIsland & Director Women in Tech Cyprus

A particularly interesting panel discussion addressed the topic of "From Inclusion to Leadership: Retention Strategies for Women in Tech." This discussion featured Savia Orphanidou, Member of the Parliament, Cleo Papadopoulou - Partner, Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer, Chief Learning Officer at PWC, Jim Sukkar, Managing Director of Global IT Services at MUFG Investor Services and Marianna Hadjiandoniou, Executive Vice President of Energame. It was moderated by Raluca Ioana Man, Vice Chair at ICC Women Network Cyprus, Founder RSEVEN and BSA. The discussion centered on strategies to retain women in the tech industry. Savia Orphanidou highlighted that there is the need for mothers to have 6 months of maternity leave, regardless if they have their first child or second child.

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The panel on "From Inclusion to Leadership: Retention Strategies for Women in Tech"

Marianna Hadjiandoniou, who has extensive experience in HR stated that: "Cyprus-based businesses can cultivate a more inclusive and diverse environment by implementing policies that support work-life balance, and ensuring gender diversity is a key part of their corporate strategy." She also highlighted Energame's gender equality policies and its flexible work arrangements, such as remote work and its supportive work environment with wellbeing initiatives. She also mentioned that at Energame they go beyond what the government suggests. “We see case by case what mothers need in regards to their working schedule. Also, we do surveys, and we ask our people what they need”, she mentioned.

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Josie Christodoulou, Commissioner for Gender Equality of the Republic of Cyprus

Additional panel discussions explored how to attract more women in STEM and strategies for women entrepreneurs for accessing venture capital. A noteworthy workshop on how to get employed in Tech and AI was delivered by Tatiana Tangisheva, People Partner at ABBYY." She provided insights on how to start in AI, outlining the best entry points into the field. She also shared career strategies and success stories.

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Maria Stylianou, Board Member of Girls in STEM Academy also spoke at the event

Among other notable speakers were Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus, Josie Christodoulou, Commissioner for Gender Equality of the Republic of Cyprus, and Savia Orphanidou, Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Cyprus as well as Keynote Speaker Tasoula Hadjitofi, Cultural Activist, Author, Entrepreneur, and who also fought art trafficking after the Turkish invasion.

The event also aligned with the global celebration of Ada Lovelace Day, which honors the remarkable achievements of women in STEM and serves as a source of inspiration, encouraging women worldwide to pursue and excel in these vital fields. The forum concluded with a networking session, fostering connections and collaborations among the attendees.

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