The University of Nottingham's School of Education, in partnership with the Association of African Universities (AAU) and Ho Technical University (HTU), has announced a new collaborative project, with funding from the British Council's Going Global Partnerships programme, to address the under-representation of female STEM lecturers in leadership positions in Ghana's 10 technical universities.
Significant gender-based inequalities continue to persist in Sub-Saharan Africa, thwarting the aspirations of female academics seeking leadership positions and hindering their career progression. Women in academia still face substantial barriers, including slower promotion rates, under-representation in senior roles, and constraints in publishing and disseminating their research, which can impact their visibility and career advancement. The challenges are particularly pronounced in technical universities, where women in STEM fields encounter unique barriers.
To address these disparities, the 'Addressing Female STEM Lecturers' Underrepresentation in Leadership' project targets bridging the existing knowledge gap and provides support to female academics with backgrounds in STEM fields, within Ghana's technical universities. With funding from the British Council, the project will align with global efforts to promote gender equity in academia.
This project exemplifies the University of Nottingham's commitment to global engagement and partnership. By collaborating with Ho Technical University in Ghana and the Association of African Universities, with the support of the British Council, we are fostering meaningful knowledge exchange and contributing to the advancement of gender equity in Ghanaian technical universities. We are confident that the project will have a significant impact on the lives of female STEM lecturers, helping them overcome obstacles and advance in their careers."
The project framework aims primarily to explore the experiences of female STEM lecturers in Ghanaian technical institutions in attaining leadership positions and identify the macro and micro level processes that perpetuate the inequalities they face in the academic world. Additionally, the project will examine the impact of capacity-building strategies – including writing workshops and mentorship, in addressing gender-based obstacles – and to put forward recommendations to redress these disparities.
Running from January 2025 to February 2026, the project will target achieving these goals through undertaking research-driven interventions to deepen the understanding of the underlying issues impeding women's progression to leadership, inform evidence-based policy, foster supportive mentorship, and deliver a targeted capacity-building workshop and mentorship programme.
Professor Olusola Oyewole, Secretary General of AAU, said: "We are committed to advancing gender equity in academia in Africa through research and collaboration. This project is a critical step towards breaking systemic barriers and fostering a more inclusive academic environment."
Upon completion, the project hopes to achieve far-reaching outcomes, notably enhancing research output and visibility of female academics, and significantly boosting leadership capacities among female STEM lecturers in Ghana's technical universities. This transformation will be marked by increased representation in leadership positions, amplified voices in policy formulation, and greater recognition within their institutions. The project will also generate actionable research insights, informing evidence-based policies and institutional practices that promote gender equality, ultimately paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable academic environment in these institutions.
The project continues to build on the new European office for the AAU, which was launched at the University of Nottingham's School of Education in March last year and brought together academics in the UK and Africa to advance education and research collaboration across the two continents. The new office is part of a wider five-year agreement between the two organisations that will promote partnerships on new international studies and projects.
