Women Leaders of Higher Education: Female Executives in Leading Universities in China

Abstract

Nowadays it is common for women to serve as university presidents and other high-level officials. Many women undertake leadership of universities, shouldering the important responsibilities of managing universities and promoting the construction and development of these institutions. This article investigates the female leaders in 38 leading universities in China. Leaders in the study are defined as presidents, vice-presidents, party secretaries and deputy party secretaries, as executive leaders and party leaders have similar ranks and authority within universities in China. By investigating their personal characteristics, this article draws an overall portrait of female leaders in leading universities in China. They are on average 54 years old, have high educational and academic achievement, are promoted principally from internal channels, most of them are deputies, and women on higher positions are more likely on the party track rather than the executive track. This article also discusses the role of female leaders in the field of higher education.