Gender equality in higher education
Can leaders drive change
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21555773 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robyn Barnacle (0000-0002-5277-0918, RMIT University, corresponding author), Leul Tadesse Sidelil (0000-0003-4622-4520, RMIT University), Denise Cuthbert (0000-0003-2959-4546, RMIT University), Kay Latham (0000-0002-5603-6905, RMIT University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Higher Education Research & Development (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0729-4360 • E-ISSN: 1469-8366 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/07294360.2026.2638277 |
| OpenAlex | W7135190537 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
Gender inequality in Australian universities is pernicious and entrenched. Higher Education (HE) leaders are widely recognised as potential change agents and key to creating workplaces which manifest gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Their capability to do so, however, is less certain. This article examines the capability of HE leaders to create respectful workplaces with the aim of better understanding their knowledge of the problem and know-how to drive change. Data are provided from in-depth, qualitative interviews with a discipline-diverse sample of Australian HE leaders. Drawing on the concept of gender competence, we find important limitations in how the nature and causes of gender inequality are understood and their concomitant solutions. Leaders often understand the problem narrowly, as numeric, with few recognising the systemic and structural drivers. Notably, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) leaders were more likely than Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) leaders to externalise the problem and treat it as a pipeline issue. This research corroborates and extends current knowledge on gender inequality in HE, indicating new opportunities for universities to strengthen change efforts. Notably, our findings demonstrate the need for enhanced gender capability of HE leaders and further research-based, disciplinary relevant training and interventions
Gender bias · Gender equality · Higher education · Qualitative research · Social equality · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Mentoring and Academic Development
Thematic Analysis
What are the barriers and facilitators to success for female academics in UK HEIs? A narrative review
Gender Inequality Across the Academic Life Course
Leadership practices by senior position holders in Higher Educational Research Institutes
Gender Equality in Hass Workplaces
Change agents or defending the status quo? How senior leaders frame workplace gender equality
Unsettling Universities' Incongruous, Gendered Bureaucratic Structures
The silence/ing of academic women
The Status of Women in Social Work Education
Playing the Game Differently
Gender Dynamics in Social Work Practice and Education
If someone, somewhere had a plan’
Not a Leaky Pipeline! Academic Success is a Game of Chutes and Ladders
Gender equality in STEMM
CEOs as agents of change and continuity
Barriers to gender equality in STEMM
Women in Higher Education Management
STEMinism
Death by a thousand cuts
Women Professors across STEMM and Non-STEMM Disciplines
Femininities in STEM
| Highly cited | No |
|---|