Discussion Forum on the Business Advantage of Women Engineers
Breaking Barriers & Designing the Future
Both, Germany and Japan have small numbers of female engineering students and women engineers in industry and research. This needs to be improved, especially by politics and industry. Both countries have implemented various attraction and retention initiatives, but their success rates remain low.
Are there any underlying factors hindering progress, such as societal norms, company cultures, or job market structures? This will be discussed in our forum, with the partners from industry, academia, and networks of women engineers.
The purpose of the forum is to identify these underlying factors that hinder the progress of female engineers in Japan and Japanese-German companies and discuss recommendations for change. The experts in attendance will share their knowledge and experience, providing valuable insights into the topic. The forum offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading professionals in the field, discuss solutions, and work towards a better future for women in engineering.
There will be input from Prof. Hayashi Kaori, Vice President of Tokyo University, Prof. Burghilde Wieneke-Toutaoui from Humboldt University Berlin, and Dr. Mona Haug, University of the West of England, Bristol and Executive Coach. The discussion forum will be moderated by Gabriel Haug and Dr. Melanie Thaler (born Zimmermann).
The forum will take place live at Sophia University in Tokyo on October 24th, 2023 (10:00 - 12:30 AM JT), and the language used will be English.
For further information please contact Prof. Dr. Burghilde Wieneke-Toutaoui (vorsitzende-fib@vdi.de).
Highlights
Brief report from the Discussion Forum on the Business Advantage of Women Engineers
On October 24, 2023, a panel discussion took place on the situation of female engineers and women in management positions in Japan and Germany. Organized by Burghilde Wieneke-Toutaoui and Melanie Thaler, VDI, and Mona Haug, Executive Coach, supported by the VDI and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Tokyo as well as the East Asia Society (OAG) in Tokyo, this discussion took place at Sophia University in Tokyo. Company and university representatives were invited. Unfortunately, due to the flu epidemic in Japan, there were numerous cancellations from those who had registered; the audience could have been larger. As a film of this discussion has been produced and is available to all interested parties, the key messages can nevertheless be widely disseminated.
Prof. Saaler, as a representative of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Tokyo and as a professor at Sophia University, gave a brief insight into the history of this private university, which was initially a purely male institution founded by the Jesuits 110 years ago and has developed over the years into a university that has an above-average proportion of women in almost all courses, including engineering.
Ms. Maike Roeder then spoke on behalf of the East Asia Society (OAG) in Tokyo and addressed the problem of the lack of role models for female students, especially in the academic environment.
Prof. Hayashi, Vice President for Diversity and International Affairs at Tokyo University, outlined the ambitious goals her traditional and still very male-dominated university has set itself for the future and the strong incentive systems that support these goals. She summarized her remarks with four demands for achieving more diversity:
- Transparency: it is necessary to keep explaining the process to stakeholders.
- Creativity: Good ideas are developed by different people.
- Safety and equipment: Creating a safe and well-equipped workplace increases work performance.
- Liveliness: Diversity enriches our common path with stories, experiences and perspectives. Diversity is fun!
Dr. Mona Haug presented the main theses from her dissertation on the topic of women in management positions in companies, for which she conducted interviews in several international companies. She emphasized how important strategic thinking and the creation of alliances are for a career. She gave a wealth of recommendations to help take on leadership roles while maintaining mental health and independence.
Prof. Burghilde Wieneke-Toutaoui reported on the situation of female engineers in Germany and Japan. After a numerical overview, she briefly presented the measures that exist in both countries to improve the situation. From Germany she reported on the VDI-WoMentorING project, from Japan on the first engineering course at the state women's university in Nara, which is so successful that another women's university will now adopt this model.
In the very lively panel discussion that followed, which was moderated by Gabriel Haug, company representatives in particular were asked what initiatives their companies have in place to improve the situation of female engineers. Dr. Marukawa Kazuyuki, TANIOBIS GmbH and JX Metals Circular Solutions GmbH, emphasized how important it is to get girls (and boys) interested in technology as early as possible. In Japan, for example, there is the Kids Engineer program. Dr. Joachim Baczewski, Thermal Management Asia 1 & 3 and Mahle, emphasized structural barriers that need to be dismantled.
It was interesting to hear the different perspectives of the more feminist panel participants and the company representatives who were more concerned about the next generation workforce.
There were also several contributions from the representatives of Nara University, who argued that it is much easier for young women to perform well in a homogeneous environment and thus develop sufficient self-confidence to be successful in their careers later on.
All participants continued to discuss long after the actual end of the event. Connections were made and further collaboration was discussed. We all learned a lot from each other at this event.
See impressions from Tokyo in the video.
Keynotes
Prof. Kaori Hayashi is Professor of Media and Journalism Studies at the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, the University of Tokyo. She is Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo in charge of global and diversity affairs. She has served as the founding director of the B’AI Global Forum, which was set up within the Institute for AI and Beyond at the University of Tokyo. She is a contributor and columnist for a variety of media including Asahi Shimbun, one of the largest national dailies in Japan. Her most recent English publications include Gendered power relations in the digital age: An analysis of Japanese women’s media choice and use within a global context” in Feminist Media Studies, 2021. Her co-authored paper “Taking a Break from News: A Five-nation Study of News Avoidance in the Digital Era” received “Bob Franklin Journal Article Award” as well as “2023 Wolfgang Donsbach Outstanding Journal Article of the Year Award” in 2023.
Dr. Mona Haug (Managing Director) is your strategic sparring partner who combines analytical brilliance with experienced executive coaching competence. Her profound knowledge in organizational studies informs her work, while she specializes particularly in working with boards, top managers, and leadership teams. With her expertise, she assists individuals and companies in developing their leadership qualities, successfully implementing strategies, and achieving sustainable value enhancement.
Dr. Mona Haug, has a notable background in the realms of leadership, power, and gender diversity, having delivered keynotes and authored publications on these subjects. Her extensive experience as a coach and scholar has led her to collaborate in various German-Japanese projects, working closely with prominent businesses and executives.
Further studies to read:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Burghilde Wieneke-Toutaoui is a professor for mechanical engineering, has been president of the University of Applied Sciences in Brandenburg. She is the chairperson of the network “Women in the engineering profession” within VDI (German Association of Engineers) consisting of more than 9.000 women engineers. Wieneke-Toutaoui holds several high-ranking functions within VDI. She works with several organizations for empowering women in STEM (WomenPower, Kompetenzz, Deutscher Frauenrat) and is active in mentoring programs. After her retirement she is now a student of Area Studies with focus on Japan at Humboldt university Berlin.
Discussion Panel
Prof. Kaori Hayashi is Professor of Media and Journalism Studies at the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, the University of Tokyo. She is Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo in charge of global and diversity affairs. She has served as the founding director of the B’AI Global Forum, which was set up within the Institute for AI and Beyond at the University of Tokyo. She is a contributor and columnist for a variety of media including Asahi Shimbun, one of the largest national dailies in Japan. Her most recent English publications include Gendered power relations in the digital age: An analysis of Japanese women’s media choice and use within a global context” in Feminist Media Studies, 2021. Her co-authored paper “Taking a Break from News: A Five-nation Study of News Avoidance in the Digital Era” received “Bob Franklin Journal Article Award” as well as “2023 Wolfgang Donsbach Outstanding Journal Article of the Year Award” in 2023.
Meet Dr. Kazujuki Marukawa, a distinguished business leader with extensive global experience. With his background in various international organizations, he deeply understands the challenges women face in the engineering industry. At the symposium, Dr. Marukawa will share his insights on fostering an inclusive environment for female engineers. Holding prominent positions as the Vice Chairman of TANIOBIS GmbH and CEO of JX Metals Circular Solutions GmbH, he is determined to drive positive change in various areas. With an impressive academic background, including an MBA from London Business School and a Doctor of Business Administration from Manchester Business School, Dr. Marukawa brings a unique perspective to the discussion.
Joachim Baczewski (Vice President, Thermal Management Asia 1/3, Mahle Behr Japan K.K) our distinguished panelist whose life journey and cultural richness infuse a new dimension into our discourse. As Vice President of MAHLE Thermal Management for Japan, Thailand, and India, and President of MAHLE Behr Japan K.K., Mr. Baczewski brings a wealth of expertise through global experience in the engineering industry and a strong belief in diversity as the key factor for cross-cultural management. Having lived and worked in Japan for over two decades, his immersion in its culture has granted him profound insights into connecting Japan to the global stage and vice versa in a sustainable manner. He bases his approach on the benefits diversity can provide to global leadership. With this in mind, Mr. Baczewski will share his thoughts on the significance of empowering more female engineers in the traditionally male-dominated industry of technological innovation.
Moderation
Gabriel Haug (Mindset Coach): As an expert in start-up entrepreneurship and mindset coaching, he enriches our team with his versatile expertise. Through his workshops and motivational keynote speeches, as well as his knowledge in the fields of nutrition, sports, and discipline, he is a valuable point of contact for questions related to these topics. Gabriel is an experienced mindset coach, helping people overcome mental blocks and develop a positive attitude. „Achieving goals through the promotion of a versatile and flexible mindset - equally relevant for women and men.“
Dr. Melanie Thaler (born Zimmermann) is a medical technology engineer and can draw on a diverse field of activities in a wide range of functions such as research and development, production management, and product and innovation management of medical devices. She is a lecturer at various colleges and universities and completed her part-time external doctorate in human sciences at the Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen in June 2021. Her intercultural experience in numerous European projects, among others in advisory boards, as well as the moderation of various international events awarded her several prizes. She is member of the German Digital Advisory Board. Within the last 3 years she initiated the VDI-WoMentorING program www.vdi.de/womentoring for young professional female engineers in Germany, which went very successfully into the 2nd round in 2023. She is member of the board Network of Women Engineers in the VDI and is currently working as Innovation Manager at Bentley InnoMed GmbH in the south of Germany next to Stuttgart.
Fotography and social media before during and after the event is done by Jessica Haug.
Supported by:
Bild: Anna Müller