Navigating senior leadership in higher education: a case study of women in Cambodia

Women are significantly underrepresented in leadership roles across sectors in Cambodia, and governmental policy is seeking to change this to promote gender equality in all high-level leadership. This qualitative research identified what factors supports Cambodian women to be successful in higher education senior leadership and the barriers they encounter in attaining and maintaining senior leadership roles. Eleven women in senior leadership roles from six prestigious higher education institutions in Phnom Penh were interviewed. Key findings revealed that self-efficacy, opportunities to learn, and support from the family, the workplace, and society were supportive factors for these Cambodian women to become senior leaders. Barriers faced by the women in this research included an overarching societal mind-set about women in society, constraints in the workplace, the pressures of family responsibilities, and their personally held expectations and values. Analysis using Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework reveals that opportunities and challenges are embedded across levels - from the individual level to family, institutional, and societal levels. Change therefore requires intentional interventions targeting all levels, including individual beliefs, institutional norms, organizational culture, government policy, and ultimately, societal values. While this is a complex endeavor, this research provides insight into what is possible for women when they experience support across these levels.