Women, Leadership, and Organizational Culture in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from South Africa and Ghana
Globalization has played a significant role in redefining the role and identity of higher education institutions across the world and universities in developing are no exception. Education policies in many developing countries have historically favored an
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Women, Leadership, and Organizational Culture in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from South Africa and Ghana Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela and Yeukai A. Mlambo
Introduction Globalization has played a significant role in redefining the role and identity of higher education institutions across the world, and universities in developing countries are no exception. Education policies in many developing countries have historically favored and funded the development of basic education; however there has been a gradual shift in national policies towards investing in the higher education sector. This chapter examines how the intersection of gender, socio-cultural factors, and organizational culture impacts professional experiences of women academics in Africa. Given the glaring absence of women in academic positions across many African universities, particularly at senior ranks, this chapter seeks to provide an understanding of challenges and opportunities that influence the upward mobility of women academics and academic leaders. According to Amina Mama (2003), access to higher education remains inequitable and even with formal restrictions removed women’s entry into higher education as both students, faculty and administrators remains uneven. Mama (2003) states that contrary to institutional claims of gender neutrality, the cultures of many African higher education institutions continue to be infused with sexual and gender dynamics that impact professional experiences, especially for women. Mama (2003) attributes the underrepresentation of women to the masculine culture of the academy that dates back to the historical origins of universities across
R.O. Mabokela (*) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA e-mail: [email protected] Y.A. Mlambo Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA e-mail: [email protected] © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 H. Eggins (ed.), The Changing Role of Women in Higher Education, The Changing Academy – The Changing Academic Profession in International Comparative Perspective 17, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-42436-1_4
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the African continent, which were informally designated as male spaces and where women were absent for a long period of time. For example, Makerere University in Uganda established in 1922, and one of the oldest universities in sub-Sahara Africa, only admitted the first women in 1945. Similarly, the National University in Congo established in 1954 admitted the first female students in 1962 (Mama 2003). This chapter clearly conveys that while African universities have developed beyond the early colonial days, there are persistent patterns of marginalization of women academics and administrators. The legacy of exclusion continues to manifest in the under-representation and sometimes, stark absence of women in senior academic and leadership positions. The persistent lack of a critical mass of women as advanced doctoral students, researchers, and academic staff limits the pool of potential women academic
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