It is estimated that Europe needs an extra half a million researchers (or 1.2 million research-related personnel) to meet the EU's Lisbon goals of becoming the world's most competitive knowledge-based economy. As women are currently under-represented in the field of scientific research, the Commission is promoting measures aimed at encouraging women to take part in European research.
The European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS), launched with start-up funding from the Commission in March 2006, is currently mapping the structure and activities of different networks throughout Europe and is calling for individual women scientists and women scientist networks from all disciplines to help it in this task by answering a questionnaire on the issue.
The answers will be used to update the current information on networks of women scientists in Europe, provided for in the Commission's Directory of Networks of Women Scientists (2003) and to prepare the first EPWS network event on 20 October 2006.
