VIENNA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Vienna municipal government will launch a campaign in the summer of 2009 to increase the proportion of girls studying in natural science and technology related fields in universities.

    Daniela Schallert, executive director of "ABZ Austria" a women's training organization of Austria said, while introducing this program on Friday, at present strong gender discrimination still exists in university majors in technological fields.

    For example, only a quarter of students enrolled in Vienna University of Technology in 2007 are female. Majors especially like informatics, physics and mechanical manufacturing have become majors for males for a long time.

    Besides gender discrimination in recruiting students, the unwillingness of many female secondary school students to study such majors also attributes to the imbalance. In order to make a change, "ABZ Austria" launched this activity to encourage girls to learn technological majors.

    They will provide 100 female secondary school students aged 15-18 the opportunity to do practice learning in natural and technological majors in universities next July and August.

    These girls will experience daily learning and experimenting ofthese traditional male subjects. They will have the chance to communicate with professors and teaching assistants face-to-face, and also be able to help research work in laboratories and computer rooms, so as to get rid of strangeness and arouse interest in relevant fields.

    Vienna University of Technology, University of Vienna and University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences of Vienna will provide girls such opportunities and special guidance. The municipal government of Vienna will put 200,000 euros in this program.