ACM-W Europe December 2025 Newsletter

In this issue:

 

End of Year’s Message from ACM-W Europe Chair

Welcome to the December 2025 edition of the ACM-W Europe Newsletter. As the year ends, let us take a moment to reflect on the journey we’ve shared this year!

In 2025, the ACM-W Europe chapters network welcomed eight new chapters in our region: 

  • Gothenburg ACM-W Chapter (Sweden),
  • Fez ACM-W Chapter (Morocco),
  • American University in Bulgaria ACM-W Student Chapter (Bulgaria),
  • Tel-Aviv ACM-W Chapter (Israel),
  • London ACM-W Chapter (United Kingdom),
  • Delft ACM-W Chapter (Netherlands),
  • University of Zurich ACM-W Student Chapter (Switzerland),
  • Turin ACM-W Chapter (Italy).

Warm welcome to all new chapters, and a huge thank-you to all the chapter officers who have taken the initiative to establish them! Their efforts help create local communities in which women in computing can thrive, collaborate, and innovate.

2025 was also a year of fantastic events that inspired women in computing from all around the world. For the first time, our flagship event, the 12th ACM Celebration of Women in Computing: womENcourage, took place in Romania. The Celebration was hosted by Transilvania University of Brașov and organized in collaboration with Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași and Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj. With 54 posters, four inspiring keynotes, 17 expert workshops, a panel discussion, mentoring sessions, a career fair and a hackathon, the event gathered nearly 300 attendees to learn from one another, network, and celebrate the achievements of women in computing. 

Thanks to generous support of 15 supporters, womENcourage travel scholarships were awarded to 30 students. 

Moreover, a special womENcourage scholarship called the ACM-W Europe Reyyan Ayfer Scholarship was awarded to seven students who made significant contributions as ACM-W Europe volunteers, demonstrating leadership through commitment to the ACM-W Europe Wikipedia Group, chairing student chapters and organising ACM Celebrations.

In fact, ACM-W Europe supported 4 local ACM Celebrations this year: 

These fantastic events provided many of our members opportunities to network, learn and celebrate together.

Last but not least, the ACM‑WE Wikipedia Working Group organised a workshop focused on improving the visibility of European women in computing on Wikipedia. Over the past year, the group has met regularly to develop a systematic approach to assessing notability, to compile a well‑documented list of notable women in the field, and to prepare a set of Wikipedia article submissions intended to strengthen the representation of women in computing on the platform.

As we look ahead to 2026, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all members of our community who have contributed to our work over the past year. In particular, we are grateful to the ACM‑W Europe Executive Committee; the womENcourage and Africa CWIC Organising Committees; the organisers of local ACM‑W Celebrations and events; our chapter officers; working group members; and all our volunteers. The achievements of ACM‑W Europe are possible only through your commitment and hard work. 

We are also looking forward to a full programme of events in 2026, including several Celebration events, Africa CWIC 2026, womENcourage’26. We warmly welcome all who wish to take part. For those who may be interested in engaging more closely with our activities—whether starting an ACM-W chapter, organising an ACM Celebration, hosting womENcourage’27, joining the ACM-W Buddy Programme, or participating in the Wikipedia Working Group—we would be delighted to have you with us on this journey. 

Whatever the coming year may hold, we look forward to supporting you and to celebrating your professional and personal milestones.

Happy new year!

Dorota Filipczuk

ACM-W Europe Chair

 

 

Apply to Host an ACM Celebration of Women in Computing!

ACM‑W Europe invites members of the community to host an ACM Celebration of Women in Computing in their local area. These events play an important role in supporting, recognizing, and advocating for women in computing across Europe. Hosting a Celebration provides an opportunity to strengthen regional networks, highlight local achievements, and create a dedicated space in which participants can engage with peers, industry partners, and academic colleagues.

ACM offers financial sponsorship of $3,000 for each approved event, together with access to planning resources, branding materials, and guidance from experienced organizers. Events must run for at least one day, follow the established Celebration model, and be clearly branded as an ACM Celebration of Women in Computing. Applications are welcomed from individuals of any gender and from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including academia, industry, and the wider computing community.

Apply for hosting an ACM Celebration using this form. Further information, including detailed guidance and requirements, is available at Association for Computing Machinery.

 

Message from previous womENcourage chair

Anca Valisescu, womENcourage co-chair for the 2025 edition shared her experience with applying and organizing the celebration. Please read the entire article with her thoughts on our blog.

Highlights:

“I felt part of this community, I was grateful to the steering committee for the receptiveness and diversity of opportunities which we could offer our students and… I was searching for an answer to the question: What can we give back to womENcourage? I am continuously grateful to everyone who, directly or indirectly, realising or not their impact, contributed to finding the answer… to apply to host womENcourage in Brasov! It was a revelation, a beautiful purpose which could end up becoming true.“

 

“Follow us! Take part in womENcourage, and you will uncover personal growth opportunities and professional guidance into an open and dynamic European community. Let yourselves be inspired by the experiences offered year after year and… take back home the motivation to be the next host of womENcourage, to show the world your university, as well as your local and national beauty and culture.”

 

 

Call for Proposals: ACM Europe Seasonal Schools 2026

The ACM Europe Council is accepting proposals to organize week-long or two-week seasonal schools in 2026 focused on educating researchers in computing topics.

What are seasonal schools? Intensive educational programs combining lectures and social activities for small groups of students, designed to facilitate learning, networking, and connection with the ACM community.

Evaluation criteria:

  • Educational merits
  • Organizational plan
  • Financial plan

Deadline: January 20, 2026

How to apply: Submit proposals in PDF format via email to seasonal-schools@acm.org with “ACM Europe Seasonal School Proposal” in the subject line.

Full submission guidelines available at ACM Europe: Call for Proposals for Seasonal Schools in 2026

 

 

SoBigData Academy Camp 2026 – Free Data Science Training

SoBigData is offering a free 3-month online program (February–April 2026) designed for students from all backgrounds—including social sciences, law, humanities, and business—with no prior experience required.

Program highlights:

  • Flexible online courses (~5 hours/week, 37 hours total)
  • Monthly interactive events with experts
  • Certificate of Participation upon completion
  • Optional Datathon in May with €500 prize for the winner

Students will gain practical skills in Python, data analysis, databases, ethics, visualization, and more—competencies valuable for research and careers in today’s data-driven world.

Registration: January 1–31, 2026

For more information: info@sobigdata.eu or visit their website.

 

 

Action for Gender Balance in Informatics Across Europe

Open Access Book: Actions for Gender Balance in Informatics Across Europe

This comprehensive handbook translates five years of European research into practical strategies for promoting gender inclusivity in informatics and computer science.

What it offers:

  • Evidence-based recommendations for recruiting, retaining, and promoting women in tech
  • Insights into the gender gap across education and career levels—from students to industry professionals
  • Actionable strategies for four key target audiences
  • Real-world scenarios and free online resources for immediate implementation
  • Guidance on university-industry cooperation to support women in tech careers

The book addresses critical questions: Why do we see low participation rates among girls and women in computer science? Why do women leave academia and industry? What can be done to change this?

Access: Free open access at Actions for Gender Balance in Informatics Across Europe | Springer Nature Link (formerly SpringerLink)

 

 

Trailblazers in Computing: Celebrating Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper

This December, we’re thrilled to launch Trailblazers in Computing, a series highlighting the women whose vision, courage, and ingenuity have shaped the world of technology.

This month is particularly special as it marks the birthdays of two remarkable figures, Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper, whose pioneering contributions continue to inspire generations of technologists. In this post, we celebrate their journeys, achievements, and lasting impact on computing.

 

 

Announcements

Empowering Women in Computing: Apply for ACM-W Scholarships

Are you a woman pursuing your passion in computing? ACM-W (Association for Computing Machinery’s Council on Women in Computing) is dedicated to supporting, celebrating, and advocating for women in the field. They offer scholarships designed to help break down financial barriers and enable talented women to achieve their academic and professional goals in technology. Whether you’re an undergraduate, graduate student, or early-career professional, ACM-W provides resources and funding opportunities to help you succeed in the dynamic world of computing. Don’t miss this chance to join a global community committed to advancing women’s participation and leadership in technology.

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines

Conference Dates Deadline Notification By
Apr 1 – May 31 Feb 15 Feb 28
June 1 – July 31 Apr 15 Apr 30
Aug 1 – Sept 31 June 15 June 30
Oct 1 – Nov 30 Aug 15 Aug 30
Dec 1 – Jan 30 Oct 15 Oct 30
Feb 1 – Mar 31 Dec 15 Dec 30

Plan ahead!

Scholarship applications often require letters of recommendation, transcripts, and personal statements. Start gathering your materials now to ensure you have plenty of time to submit a strong application. Visit the ACM-W website today to review eligibility requirements and begin your application process.

Application and supplementary information can be found here.

 

ACM Awards and Advanced Grades of Membership Deadlines

Each year ACM recognizes outstanding achievements of its members through awards that cover a spectrum of professional and technological areas and different stages of professional development. 

To learn more about awards, we recommend the article by the ACM President Cherri M. Pancake, who dispels some common myths about ACM Awards and Honors in the Communications of the ACM, August 2019. One of the myths is that the ACM Awards never honour people working outside North America. Prof. Pancake writes that even though nothing would make ACM committees happier than to recognise the achievements of people from around the globe, there are very few nominations. Source: Dispelling Common Myths About ACM Awards and Honors.

Call for ACM Senior Member Nominations

The Senior Member advanced grade of membership recognizes ACM members with at least 10 years of professional experience and 5 years of continuous ACM Professional membership. Nominations are accepted on a quarterly basis.

Students
Early Career
Mid Career
Late Career
Area-Specific, typically Mid to Late Career

For SIG-specific Awards, please visit here.

For ACM Advanced Grades of Membership, please visit here.

 

Thank you for joining us in recognizing the accomplishments of ACM Women in Europe and ensuring they are nominated for ACM Awards they deserve.

 

ACM-W Europe Website        ACM-W Europe Blog      Facebook      X (@acmweurope)      Linkedin