By Helen Gaudette (Fashion Institute of Technology), Clare Overmann (Institute of International Education), Joanna Regulska (University of California, Davis), and Mrinmoyee Bhattacharya (Dickinson College)

"The aim of this article is to interrogate the role of gender in differential experiences of leaders in higher education. Though international education is increasingly diverse, there exists a lack of research on how women leaders negotiate and respond to the challenges of international higher education. This article responds to the need for understanding international education through the voices of women leaders. Drawing from the data collected, we argue that gender bias, glass ceilings, and discrimination are impediments that structure women’s experiences in international education. Our data set comprised of a survey with 449 responses from women who hold leadership positions in international higher education at different educational institutions around the world. The institutional and structural barriers faced by women leaders not only limit women leaders’ growth within different institutions, but are also important roadblocks in the path of internationalization and globalization of higher education. This paper details the multiple structural inequities reported by women leaders in higher education and recommends action items that will help remove these barriers. It also highlights the positive correlation between increasing diversification and internationalization of the field. We argue that recruitment, retention, and growth of more women leaders are necessary steps toward building global campus and internationalized curriculum."

Read the full paper at AIEA World.