Sustainable Interventions in Enhancing Gender Parity in Senior Leadership Positions in Higher Education in Tanzania

Abstract

Despite the international campaigns for gender equality and equity in Higher Education Institutions, studies conducted in several countries continue to show that women are underrepresented in senior leadership positions in universities. Women leaders in higher education subsector in Tanzania are very few. Of all the 60 and above universities and non-university colleges in Tanzania, there are only two Vice Chancellors and one Principal of a College. The study identified three main barriers for women under-representation in leadership positions namely; ethnic, administration and personal barriers. The findings also display various interventions which have been taken to combat the situation in Tanzania, affirmative action’s such as lower entry scores, remedial pre-university programmes and financial assistance  although representation of women is still low. However, the study documents some sustainable interventions which can be used to redress the issue of women low representation in senior leadership position in Higher Education among others management training programmes for women is of great impact.

Keywords: Gender Parity, Senior Leadership Position, Sustainable Interventions, Higher Education, Tanzania.