Women Academic Leaders in Higher Education in Pakistan: Perspectives of Female Students Enrolled in Higher Education Degrees

Abstract

   The number of women joining the teaching profession has risen in general. In addition, the number of women academics in other faculties and departments in universities has gone up as Pakistan has opened new women-only universities, some having women Vice Chancellors. However, women are generally absent from higher-up and decision-making positions in higher education, and the current paper investigates this issue. Although several researchers have earlier explored this phenomenon, this study attempts to assess it from the students‘ perspective. Therefore, the question of women as managers in higher education was placed before sixty female students enrolled in postgraduate programmes of four private and two public sector universities. Each research participant was provided enough time to consider and answer the query ―why are there no women in higher leadership positions in universities in Pakistan in co-education set-ups?‖ Each of the in-depth discussion sessions, moderated by the researcher, resulted in creating rich data, which helps in comprehending why academically qualified women are not able to break the glass ceiling and move upward in their professional careers.