Addressing Female STEM Lecturers’ Underrepresentation in Leadership in Technical Universities in Ghana
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About the Project
About the Project
This interdisciplinary, collaborative initiative addressed the underrepresentation of female STEM lecturers in leadership in Ghanaian Technical Universities. It brought together the School of Education at the University of Nottingham, Ho Technical University and the Association of African Universities, with funding from the British Council’s Going Global Partnerships programme.
The project was led and co-designed by scholars from the Global North and Global South and was grounded in the experiences of female STEM lecturers in Ghanaian Technical Universities.
Objectives
Objectives
This project aimed to:
Explore the experiences of female STEM lecturers in Ghanaian Technical Universities in progressing into leadership roles
Identify the structural and institutional factors that shape these experiences
Examine the impact of capacity strengthening activities, including writing support, mentorship and leadership development
Develop recommendations to support gender equity in Technical Universities in Ghana
Approach
Approach
The project combined research with targeted capacity-building activities:
Writing for Publication: A two-day writing workshop supported participants to strengthen academic writing skills, increase research output and gain recognition for their work.
Mentorship: A 10-month mentorship programme provided structured support, guidance and opportunities to develop writing, refine manuscripts and work towards publication.
Leadership Development: A series of online leadership sessions supported participants to strengthen leadership identity, resilience and inclusive leadership practices.
Research: Qualitative interviews explored participants’ experiences of career progression, leadership and gender-based barriers within academia.
Actionable Recommendations: Findings from the research will inform recommendations aimed at supporting gender equity and improving institutional practices in Technical Universities in Ghana.
Outcomes and Impact
Outcomes and Impact
The project delivered strong outcomes across writing for publication, mentorship and leadership development.
Workshop evaluation data showed that 96–100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop met its aims, including strengthening understanding of STEM research writing, publication processes, journal selection, mentorship and confidence in writing for publication.
Mentorship was also highly valued: 94% of participants rated it as useful or very useful, and 89% indicated that they intended to mentor other female STEM lecturers in future.
The programme supported concrete progress towards publication. Among end-of-programme respondents, 92% had submitted at least one manuscript to a journal during or since the programme, 65% had authored or co-authored at least one journal article, and 80% had a concrete publication plan for the next 12 months.
The leadership component also showed positive outcomes. 93% of respondents felt confident or somewhat confident in their ability to pursue leadership, 67% felt more prepared to pursue leadership, and 38% had already taken steps towards a leadership position.
Next Steps and Wider Dissemination
Next Steps and Wider Dissemination
The project generated evidence on barriers to publication, promotion and leadership for female STEM lecturers in Ghanaian Technical Universities. Findings and recommendations will be disseminated through academic publications, an AAU briefing/report and wider sector engagement.
An end-of-programme webinar brought together participants, mentors and partners to reflect on their experiences and discuss emerging findings. Due to the personal nature of these reflections, recordings are not publicly shared. Key insights are summarised across this website and in project outputs.
The Association of African Universities has committed to cascading learning from the project across its network of approximately 450 higher education institutions in Africa. This will support wider conversations on gender-responsive policies, mentorship, leadership development and inclusive academic environments.
The project has also laid the foundation for an ongoing network of female STEM lecturers in Ghanaian Technical Universities, supporting continued peer mentoring, collaboration, writing for publication and leadership development beyond the life of the project.
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