School of EducationSchool of Education

Leadership Positions in HE: where are women academics?

Saeeda Shah/ Victoria ShowunmiSaeeda Shah/ Victoria Showunmisjas2@le.ac.uk

1313thth July 2015 July 2015

The Project

• A British Academy funded project under its ‘International Networks and Mobility Scheme .

• The project duration was three years - from 1st December 2012 to 30th November 2015

• It focuses on Mapping Women Academics’ Careers in Pakistan: research capacity building through international partnerships. .

• The project partners include two The project partners include two women-only and two co-ed universities in Pakistan.

Partner Universities in Pakistan

Women-only

•Fatima Jinnah Woman University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

•University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan

Co-ed

•Lahore for Women University, Pakistan

•Hazara University Mansehra, Pakistan

Project Aims

• The proposed project aimed to establish sustainable collaboration between two UK and four Pakistani HE institutions. A research training programme was devised and undertaken with partners for research capacity building while developing five junior researchers per Pakistani institution to support continuation of training programmes after the life of the project.

• To contextualise the research training element, a study investigating 'Mapping Women Academics' Careers in Pakistan' was conducted. While seeking to investigate women academics’ experiences it aimed to enhance research inquiry skills among all partners.

The Educational Context Context

• Pakistan – Muslim society with 97% of its population being Muslims

• Literacy rate,49.9% (Male, 63%; Female, 36%) (The

World Factbook, 2007)

• Pre-university education in the public sector is mostly single-sex

• Segregation is observed mostly from post-primary to pre-university levels

• Women only universities are a comparatively recent phenomenon (the first one established in 1998)

Institutions Female Male Mixed TotalPrimary Schools 43961 84869 16661 145491

Middle Schools 8983 9327 24610 42920High Schools 6439 9228 14946 30610Higher Secondary Schools 1073 1263 1841 4177Inter College 307 260 435 1002

Degree Colleges 457 501 128 1086Universities 12 161 (p.67)

Deeni Madaris 2096 4617 6692 13405 (p.72)

Educational Institutions by Gender in Pakistan

Pakistan Education Statistics 2013-14 (pp.60)

http://www.aepam.edu.pk/Files/EducationStatistics/PakistanEducationStatistics2013-14.pdf

Where are all the women? The Issue is GlobalEuropean Commission report (2008)

• Only 15% of full professors in European universities are women (European Commission report, 2008, p.3)

• Sixty percent of medical students are female, so why is it that 88% of professors in UK medical schools are men? (“Women in the UK academic medicine workforce”, published in the Journal of Medical Education)

• Women are under-represented in practically all decision-Women are under-represented in practically all decision-making bodies, and at professor/Grade A level in general, making bodies, and at professor/Grade A level in general, and have less access to decision making positions than men.and have less access to decision making positions than men.

• The average percentage of women in senior academic The average percentage of women in senior academic positions in the Member States is considerably lower than the positions in the Member States is considerably lower than the overall percentage for all women in all academic positions overall percentage for all women in all academic positions (36%).(36%). (European Commission report, 2008)

Women and Leadership: the Pakistan context

• In co-educational institutions in Pakistan, a high In co-educational institutions in Pakistan, a high majority of leadership positions are occupied by majority of leadership positions are occupied by men. Out of nearly 150 co-ed universities, only men. Out of nearly 150 co-ed universities, only three have women Vice-chancellors.three have women Vice-chancellors.

• However, the segregated educational structure However, the segregated educational structure provides spaces for women to access educational provides spaces for women to access educational leadership in women-only institutions. Nevertheless, leadership in women-only institutions. Nevertheless, cultural and belief systems define how this cultural and belief systems define how this leadership is exercised and experienced.leadership is exercised and experienced.

‘Women in Pakistan’Asian Development Bank Report

Men and women are conceptually divided into two separate worlds. Home is defined as a woman’s legitimate ideological and physical space, while man dominates the world outside the home. The false ideological demarcation between public and private, inside and outside worlds is maintained through the notion of honour and institution of purdah in Pakistan. Since the notion of male honour and izzat (honour) is linked with women's sexual behaviour, their sexuality is considered a potential threat to the honour of the family. Therefore, women’s mobility is strictly restricted and controlled through the system of purdah, sex segregation, and violence against them. (ADB, 2000, p.2)

Data Collection for the British Academy Project

• A survey was conducted in May 2013 to collect data from women academics in two single-sex and two coeducation universities in Pakistan with a focus on mapping women academics careers. The survey was administered to 874 women academics at different stages of their career and 490 completed questionnaire were received.

• Two pilot interviews with women academics from each partner university (eight pilot interviews in total) were conducted by the research teams during June 2013

• The research teams conducted forty interviews with women academics at different stages of their career during summer 2014. The sample consisted of ten women academics from each partner university in Pakistan.

University Lect Assit. Prof

Asso. Prof

Prof Total Responses Received

FJWU(women-only)

84 45 4 2 135 79

LFWU(women-only)

257 141 48 21 467 253

EdU (co-ed)

126 48 6 2 182 101

Hazara Uni(co-ed)

70 19 1 0 90 57

          874 490

Survey Sample and Responses

Some Survey FindingsFindings indicate that

– Most female academics had high professional self-efficacy and were intrinsically motivated in their roles

– It was challenging to adjust and balance home and work responsibilities

– Nepotism and high workload impacted on professional progression in the workplace

– Research is now very important for career progression– Teaching responsibilities and family responsibilities both cut

into women’s research time

Academics in women-only universities had – opportunities to build professional networks which accelerated

career progression– better childcare facilities at work place

Some Interview Findings

• Cultural Patterns of behavior– Stereotyping, role-socialization– Female space– Gendered power relations – Izzat, family honor (constraining

communications, mobility, net-working & career progression)

• Religion and Beliefs– Given religious discourses – Good Muslim woman– Priority of the domestic role for

Muslim women– Segregation/veiling

• Structural Barriers– Male-dominated education

department and other mainstream offices

– Powerful male-dominated bureaucracy

– Political interference in appointments to leadership positions

• Formal/informal pressures– Pressure groups patronized by

political parties , powerful groups and/or individuals

– Extended family networks– Socio-cultural pressures– Professional organizations

Some Interview Quotes

• I was told that I would not make a good administrator because I did not have a mean bone in my body (Head of department)

• Dr x was threaten by me and used to talk to others about me. It was a very difficult time --- I did not know that there would be professional jealousy (Senior lecturer)

• There are barriers, like family, social setups; you have to attend to your children, you have to attend to parents in-law

Some Interview Quotes II

• There is lots and lots of pressure - when you are married it is hard to manage work and family (acting Registrar)

• One support which I deem very important is from home; if one side is working smoothly then you can bear the other rough-side, if both sides become rough then it becomes difficult (Senior Administrator)

• I have different role models including my father that help me with my career. (Acting Registrar)

Challenges for Researchers

• Lack of facilities /infrastructure for research

• Teaching and administrative workload

• Lack of mentoring/support/guidance from seniors

• Lack of research culture

• Lack of incentives (nepotism/favouritism)

• Tension between home and work responsibilities

• Child-care facilities at workplace

Research and Women Academics_1

• ‘extremely dissatisfied with the research facilities because the basic facilities for example a good library, internet facility and electricity … some other problems from administration’ (1a)

• ‘problems in terms of facilities to carry out research … I am concerned about facilities such as established labs, internet and proper supply of electricity etc that help to carry out research’ (1b)

• ‘There should be proper guidance from seniors/ professors, which is missing. There is lack of professionalism’ (1b)

Research and Women Academics_11

• one of the major problems is lack of time since we are teaching and doing exam duties we do not find time for research (2a)

• the biggest challenge is again lack of time , and if you have to balance personal and professional time and then something has to suffer and I believe for me it is research opportunities. (2a)

• incentives, promotion criteria, as well as perhaps decrease in workload, may be not academic but at least the administrative workload so that time could be devoted to research oriented activities (2a)

• I think its not lacking in facilities. The need is to encourage the research culture. (2b)

Research and Women Academics_111

• ‘opportunity in terms of workshops, in terms of seminars, research opportunities … I mean there are no such opportunities for women … very little opportunities of research projects’ (3a)

• ‘I didn’t see that there are different facilities for women or for males, I think university is providing the same opportunities for woman’s and men’ (3b)

• ‘The professionals rules are same for males and females … for women data collection is concern … there must be incentives’ (3a)

Research and Women Academics_IV• ‘[research and publication] Obviously they

demand extra time, they demand extra energy. If a working woman has family responsibilities, if she is married then she feels some challenges and she has to face some problems but if she is wise and she is disciplined she can managed but I would say that problems are there’ (3b)

• ‘I think Pakistani society is not a research oriented society yet - I feel it. We cannot say that only women are not active researchers … my suggestion is that more and more projects should be launched, programs should be started then people will engage in research activities so gradually we will improve’ (3b)

Women, leadership and research

• Demand to be research active for career progression in HE and to access leadership roles added to the challenges for women

• In addition to research facilities and research culture, socio-cultural constraints on female mobility and networking, discourses of izzat and good Muslim woman, and constructions of female role in a Muslim society emerged as major barriers to career progression.

Questions?Questions?

Comments?Comments?