Women and Leadership in Higher Education

Abstract

The Problem. Postsecondary institutions are struggling more than ever before to find qualified, effective leaders to move into key administrative positions. One reason for the continued lack of prepared leaders is that there still remain few women in higher education positioned to take on such critical roles. The Solution. This Issue overview introduces the importance of and connections among HRD, leadership development, higher education, and leadership programs for women in higher education. It highlights the Issue’s overall problem, purpose, the approach used, and its relevance to practice. Concerns around the shortage of women in leadership positions in higher education settings are introduced, and the unique features of this particular Special Issue are outlined along with a brief introduction of each article. The Stakeholders. This Issue will provide researchers and practitioners in various fields of study with frameworks to use in developing, evaluating, and researching leadership programs for women in higher education and beyond.