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Aspiration, Innovation, Resilience and Promise: Lessons from Women in Higher Education Leadership in Kenya

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Women’s Contribution to Higher Education and Social Transformation

Part of the book series: Diversity and Inclusion Research ((DIRE))

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Abstract

Identifying some of the factors that encourage or undermine participation of women in higher education leadership, this study is a critical appreciation of the experiences of women as deans in Kenyan universities. It highlights positive and challenging experiences, with a view to leverage on the former and address the latter. The deans’ experiences are studied from the prism of their aspirations in taking on high-level leadership, the innovations they endeavour to engineer as leaders, their achievements and the challenges they faced. Data were collected using in-depth interviews with three women, now retired from positions as deans in different universities—both private and public. The researchers encountered the particular genius of women leaders who aspired to make specific contributions through leadership, not just to hold positions. In common with other women in academic leadership as captured in literature, there are serious gender-related challenges for women leadership in higher education settings in Kenya. The benefits of women high-level leadership validate the efforts to overcome these challenges. In particular, women leaders embrace highly inclusive and creative leadership styles, offering much-needed leverage for social transformation in the higher education arena.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Tangaza University College, Nairobi, Kenya

    Beatrice W. E. Churu & Nema C. M. Aluku

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  1. Beatrice W. E. Churu
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  2. Nema C. M. Aluku
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Correspondence to Beatrice W. E. Churu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Tangaza University College, Nairobi, Kenya

    Lucy A. Wakiaga

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Churu, B.W.E., Aluku, N.C.M. (2022). Aspiration, Innovation, Resilience and Promise: Lessons from Women in Higher Education Leadership in Kenya. In: Wakiaga, L.A. (eds) Women’s Contribution to Higher Education and Social Transformation. Diversity and Inclusion Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95622-6_6

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