Women higher education administrators’ experiences with support for active career advancement: A phenomenological study

Abstract

While women may appear to be the majority gender working in higher education administration, the lack of quantitative data on the gender distribution of higher education administrators makes it difficult to track women’s career progression. Existing data on senior leadership positions in higher education shows that women remain underrepresented in advanced leadership roles. This study explores how women higher education administrators at research universities experience support for active career advancement. Grounded in gendered organization theory and feminist standpoint theory, this phenomenological study draws on semi-structured interviews with ten women higher education administrators. The findings indicate that women’s career advancement is supported by strong professional networks, organizational structures that invest in career growth, personal risk-taking, and self-advocacy. However, caregiving responsibilities and gender-biased workplace dynamics were significant obstacles. These insights reinforce the need for institutions and their members to address systemic gender bias and adopt equitable practices to retain and advance women in higher education administration.