BIRAC, in Collaboration with Grand Challenges India, and WomenLift Health Announce the Women Leadership in STEM Programme

BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], October 17: The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Government of India enterprise, has partnered with WomenLift Health to launch a leadership development programme to empower women leaders working in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in India. The Women Leadership in STEM (WLS) programme, under the Grand Challenges India (GCI) initiative, aims to catalyse a systemic change towards gender equity in STEM leadership by investing in mid-career women professionals and providing them with the tools, networks, and mentorship needed to excel in their chosen fields.
This part-time programme will bring together a cohort of 20 mid-career women leaders working in STEM institutions in India for three fully funded, five-day residential leadership workshops over the course of a year. The sessions have been designed, in collaboration with the Center for Creative Leadership, to support these women to realise their potential and grow as leaders and decision-makers as well as foster a strong network of champions and institutional partners. The WLS programme also includes a Leadership Project to address real-world challenges related to centering women and girls in STEM, catalysing institutional change, optimising pathways to leadership, building integrated and resilient health systems, and STEM innovation and policy in India.

The WLS programme is in line with the Government of India's commitment towards women-led development, as articulated at the G20 Summit in September 2023. Through its focus on transformative leadership and mentorship for women working in STEM, the programme offers a pathway for their increased representation and participation in decision-making processes, leading to more balanced and diverse leadership teams.

"The Women Leadership in STEM programme is a testament to our commitment to breaking barriers and creating a more inclusive STEM ecosystem in India," said Dr Shirshendu Mukherjee, Mission Director, Programme Management Unit, BIRAC. "We believe that by investing in the development of women leaders, we are driving innovation and progress in India's scientific landscape."

"When women have equal access to leadership, the health of women, men and children improves." said Amie Batson, President, WomenLift Health. "It is an honor to work with the Government of India as it prioritizes investments in women leaders in STEM and health."

Dr Renu Swarup, Indian geneticist and Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India said: "It is heartening to see the institution of a programme like Women Leadership in STEM that centres the experiences of women scientists in its design and offers a clear pathway for them to grow into leadership. Beyond breaking barriers, it is crucial to transform mindsets and systems themselves to offer a holistic, enabling environment to empower the thousands of women who enter STEM fields in India every year."
Shereen Bhan, Leadership Development and North America Director, WomenLift Health said: "My father, Dr Maharaj Kishan Bhan, devoted his life to the development of young minds and collaborated with and mentored women scientists and researchers throughout his career. The news of this partnership is something that he would have fully supported and would be proud of as a mentor and also as a founding member of BIRAC. The WLS program is a big milestone for WomenLift and for me personally, as a pioneer member of WomenLift Health."
Dr Bhan was a former Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology and a founding member of BIRAC. As Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India for ten years, he played a key role in the establishment of many new institutes, clusters, and innovation support agencies in order to transform the biotechnology sector in the country. Dr Bhan was also a National Science Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Government of India, President of JIPMER, and an advisor to the World Health Organization.
The call for applications to the WLS programme will open on October 27, 2023; mid-career women professionals with 10-25 years of experience in recognised public and private STEM institutions in India are eligible to apply.

For more information about the Women Leadership in STEM program, please visit https://www.birac.nic.in/desc_new.php?id=1084
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