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The Challenges for Gender Equity and Women in Leadership in a Distributed University in Regional Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Janelle Thomas

    (Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia)

  • Cate Thomas

    (Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia)

  • Kirsty Smith

    (Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, NSW 2795, Australia)

Abstract

The barriers to women’s achievement and career progression in the higher education sector have been well researched. It has long been acknowledged that career breaks for child-rearing, and women’s self-beliefs about their abilities can impact negatively on their careers, and many programs and policies have been implemented to redress these around the world. This article is focussed around a regional Australian university, with multiple campuses distributed over 1000 km across two states. Courses, schools, and work teams are often spread across multiple campuses, and travel between campuses is sometimes a necessity; one that is time-consuming and requires time away from family. For some women, travelling is not possible due to family and other commitments or constraints. This paper explores how working in a regional university, with distributed campuses, has an additional impact on women’s career progression. Through auto-ethnographic accounts of four female staff members, we explore the intersection of gender and location through case studies of personal experiences, investigating the effects that distance and travel limitations can have on participation in work team and networking events, access to professional development opportunities, and career progression within the institution.

Suggested Citation

  • Janelle Thomas & Cate Thomas & Kirsty Smith, 2019. "The Challenges for Gender Equity and Women in Leadership in a Distributed University in Regional Australia," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-9, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:8:y:2019:i:6:p:165-:d:235775
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paula Burkinshaw & Kate White, 2017. "Fixing the Women or Fixing Universities: Women in HE Leadership," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Robin Selzer & Amy Howton & Felicia Wallace, 2017. "Rethinking Women’s Leadership Development: Voices from the Trenches," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-20, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Cate Thomas & Colleen MacMillan & Merryn McKinnon & Hayley Torabi & Megan Osmond-McLeod & Ellen Swavley & Tamzen Armer & Kimberley Doyle, 2021. "Seeing and Overcoming the Complexities of Intersectionality," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Alan Goodacre & Clive Gaunt & Darren Henry, 2021. "Publication records of Australian accounting and finance faculty promoted to full professor, set within an international context," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(2), pages 3089-3133, June.
    3. Jennifer Manyweathers & Jessie Lymn & Geraldine Rurenga & Katie Murrell-Orgill & Shara Cameron & Cate Thomas, 2020. "The Lived Experience of Gender and Gender Equity Policies at a Regional Australian University," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-12, July.

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