WORKSHOP ADDRESSES “INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIES FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN IN HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP”

A sizable group of some of WSU’s most prominent female leaders in the academic space gathered at the Phyllis Ntantala Collaborative Library recently to discuss issues and address challenges confronting leadership in the women’s ranks.

The workshop, titled “Research Workshop Focus Group Discussion: Individual Strategies for the Advancement of Women in Higher Education Leadership”, saw women from across the university’s academic and leadership spectrum engaging in intense and often emotional discussions regarding the often-hard leadership landscape and terrain they have to negotiate on a daily basis.

The University of Greenwich’s Dr Nnedinma Umeokafor, who flew all the way from England to lead the discussion with the backing of his contemporaries, Prof Kariena Strydom from WSU’s Faculty of Management and Public Administration Sciences, and the University of Johannesburg’s Prof Chioma Okoro, got the ball rolling, to murmurs of hushed excitement.

“The objectives of this study are to identify individual strategies for gender equality in leadership, explore how the strategies can be harnessed individually and in consonance with institutional and international/professional strategies, establish the significant obstacles/barriers to harnessing or implementing the strategies aimed at advancing women to leadership positions, explore how technology can be used and integrated to alleviate the obstacles/barriers and support women's advancement efforts and develop and validate a framework of the individual strategies, especially considering the mediating role of technology,” said Umeokafor.

He said recognising the strengths and weaknesses of potential female leaders is critical to ensuring that the future holds fairness and equal opportunities. In this light, the study then aims to provide a deeper understanding of the complexities associated with academics implementing individual strategies for gender equality and to explore how technology can support their efforts to implement these strategies.

Also present among the notable academic leaders was Dr Phyllis Kedibone Chembe, Academic Advisor in the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, who offered a compelling perspective on the need for broader, more inclusive engagement in advancing women’s leadership in higher education. She emphasized that while women-focused spaces are vital for empowerment and knowledge-sharing, true, sustainable transformation cannot occur in isolation.

“While I must respect the confidentiality agreements and consent protocols of this research project, which prevent me from sharing specific participant contributions, I can share this general observation: meaningful progress in addressing gender inequality in academic leadership necessitates engaging male leaders as allies in this transformation,” said Chembe.

Her remarks underscored the reality that institutional change hinges not only on empowering women but also on cultivating understanding among those who shape decision-making environments. She stressed that leaders across all genders must be made aware of the structural and cultural barriers that continue to impede women’s professional advancement.

Chembe further highlighted that commitment alone is insufficient without structural support:

“Beyond awareness, this change demands putting relevant support systems in place for women to access opportunities and thrive. Additionally, it requires ensuring that strategic goals are intentional in advancing women, that these goals translate into concrete policies, and that implementation of these policies is actively monitored to ensure accountability and effectiveness.”

By Thando Cezula