Engineering programs in rural Spain towards 2030: Enrollment trends and the gender gap

Introduction
This article examines university engineering education in Spain’s rural areas, with particular attention paid to depopulated regions such as Castile and León, and identifies the gender gap as the system’s principal constraint. In addition to demographic decline, it assesses the extent to which limited female participation is constraining the development of human capital in comparison with the rest of the country.

Method
Official data on engineering enrollment and graduation rates are used, broken down by level (bachelor's and doctorate), region, and gender. The analysis prioritizes the evolution of female participation and projects trends up to 2030.

Results
The data show a decrease in enrollment and low participation at the doctoral level, but the most significant problem is the persistent underrepresentation of women. Women remain a minority at the undergraduate level and have not achieved parity at the doctoral level. This gap directly reduces the available talent pool and exacerbates the effects of demographic decline.

Conclusions
The gender gap is not only a matter of equity, but also the main obstacle to the system's sustainability. Without the greater incorporation of women, Castile and León will continue to lose training and research capacity by 2030.