More women may consider entering the IT industry if firms in the sector offer further flexible working options, according to one expert.
Director of womenintechnology.co.uk Maggie Berry suggested that a stronger focus on such benefits could help "attract, develop and retain female talent at all levels - from graduates entering IT to women returning after a career break".
She also said that the industry should look at targeting young, talented women from an early age if it wants to close the gender gap.
"It also needs to go about challenging the stereotype that IT is a man's world and that the jobs are geeky," Ms Berry added.
Research from the British Computer Society (BCS) reveal that women constitute less than 30 per cent of academic and research staff in IT and computer science at UK universities.
In 2004, women made up 14 per cent of the BCS's membership.
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