Skip to main content

Managing Modern Malaysia: Women in Higher Education Leadership

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Changing Role of Women in Higher Education

Abstract

This chapter aims to provide an overview of women’s participation as leaders in higher education (HE) in Malaysia. It draws upon local and international feminist literature and engages with some of the explanatory frameworks that have been used to analyse the absence of women from senior leadership positions in HE in the global academy including the gendered division of labour and greedy institutions. The empirical evidence is from a sample of 36 open-ended questionnaires and a Focus Group with eight women at different career stages in one public Malaysian university.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abas, A., & Idris, A. (2014, September 3). Dons must be proactive. New Straits Times. p. 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azman, N., Jantan, M., & Sirat, M. (2010). The transformation of the academic profession in Malaysia: Trends and issues on institutional governance and management. Journal of the World Universities Forum, 2(5), 123–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azman, N., Sirat, M. B., & Samsudin, M. A. (2013). An academic life in Malaysia: A wonderful life or satisfaction not guaranteed? In P. J. Bentley, H. Coates, I. R. Dobson, L. Goedegebuure, & V. L. Meek (Eds.), Job satisfaction around the academic world. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagilhole, B., & White, K. (Eds.). (2011). Gender, power and management: A cross-cultural analysis of higher education. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bahiyah, A. H. (2008, October 26). Malaysian women in S & T: Opportunities, choices and challenges. Paper Presented at the ICWS- International Conference on Women Scientists, National Yang-Ming University Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, S. J. (2007). Education plc: Understanding private sector participation in public sector education. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, L., & Barrett, P. (2007). Current practice in the allocation of academic workloads. Higher Education Quarterly, 61, 461–478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berma, M. (2003). Towards the national vision policy: Review of the new economic policy and new development policy among the Bumiputera of Sarawak. Kajian Malaysia, XXI(1), 221–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berma, M. (2014, July 15). Gender perspective in development tranformation. Paper presented at the Intellectual Discourse Series, Sabah State Legislative Assembly.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billing, Y. (2011). Are women in management victims of the phantom of the male norm? Gender, Work and Organization, 18(3), 298–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Billing, Y. D., & Alvesson, M. (2000). Questioning the notion of feminine leadership. A critical perspective on the gender labelling of leadership. Gender, Work & Organization, 7(3), 144–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blackmore, J. (2014). ‘Wasting Talent’? Gender and the problematic of academic disenchantment and disengagement with leadership. Higher Education Research and Development, 33(1), 86–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonner, F. B. (2006). Gender diversity in higher education: ‘The Women are Fine, but the Men are not?’. In W. R. Allen et al. (Eds.), Higher education in a global society: Achieving diversity, equity and excellence. Advances in education in diverse communities: Research, policy, and praxis (Vol. 5, pp. 159–180). Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, J. (2004). Undoing gender. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Currie, J., Thiele, B., & Harris, P. (2002). Gendered Universities in globalized economies: Power, careers and sacrifices. Lexington: Lexington Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Devine, D., Grummell, B., & Lynch, K. (2011). Crafting the elastic self? Gender and identities in senior appointments in Irish education. Gender, Work and Organization, 18(6), 631–649.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eagly, A. H., Makhijani, M. G., & Klonsky, B. G. (1992). Gender and the evaluation of leaders: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 111(3–2), 3–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elias, J. (2011). The gender politics of economic competitiveness in Malaysia’s transition to a knowledge economy. The Pacific Review, 24(5), 529–552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2008). Mapping the maze: Getting more women to the top in research. Brussels: EC.

    Google Scholar 

  • (EC) European Commission: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. (2011). Structural change in research institutions: Enhancing excellence, gender equality and efficiency in research and innovation. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald, T. (2011). Troubling leadership? Gender, leadership and higher education (Paper presented at the AARE Conference). Australia: Hobart. 30 November.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, C., Boden, R., Kent, J., & Tinson, J. (2007). Performing women: The gendered dimensions of the UK new research economy. Gender, Work & Organization, 14(5), 433–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gronn, P., & Lacey, K. (2006). Cloning their own: Aspirant principals and the school-based selection game. Australian Journal of Education, 50(2), 102–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grummell, B., Devine, D., & Lynch, K. (2009). The careless manager: Gender, care and new managerialism in higher education. Gender and Education, 21(2), 191–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guillaume, C., & Pochic, S. (2009). What would you sacrifice? Access to top management and the work–life balance. Gender, Work & Organization, 16(1), 14–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunawardena, C., Rasanayagam, Y., Leitan, T., Bulumulle, K., & Abeyasekera-Van Dort, A. (2006). Quantitative and qualitative dimensions of gender equity in Sri Lankan Higher Education. Women's Studies International Forum, 29(6), 562–571.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, J., & Phillips, R. (2007). Unintended consequences: Social policy, state institutions and the “stalling” of the Malaysian industrialisation project. Economy and Society, 36(1), 77–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Husu, L. (2014). Research funding gap: Her excellence dwarfed by his excellence. http://euroscientist.com/2014/06/research-funding-gap-excellence-dwarfedexcellence/#sthash.aMIyrJ3S.dpuf. Accessed 8 July 2014.

  • Ibarra, H., Carter, N. M., & Silva, C. (2010). Why men still get more promotions than women. Harvard Business Review, 88, 80–85. September.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinman, G., & Jones, F. (2008). A life beyond work? Job demands, work-life balance, and wellbeing in UK academics. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 17(1–2), 41–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knights, D., & Kerfoot, D. (2004). Between representations and subjectivity: Gender binaries and the politics of organizational transformation. Gender, Work & Organization, 11(4), 430–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kram, K., & McCollom Hampton, M. (2003). When women lead: The visibility-vulnerability spiral. In R. Ely, E. G. Foldy, & M. Scully (Eds.), Reader in gender, work and organization (pp. 211–223). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leathwood, C., & Read, B. (2009). Gender and the changing face of higher education: A feminised future? Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill, Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M. (2004). Restructuring higher education in Malaysia. Penang: School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M. (2007). Higher education in Southeast Asia in the era of globalization. In J. F. Forest & P. G. Altbach (Eds.), International handbook of higher education (pp. 539–555). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lund, H. (1998). A single sex profession? Female staff numbers in Commonwealth Universities. London: Commonwealth Higher Education Management Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, K. (2006). Neo-liberalism and marketization: The implications for higher education. European Educational Research Journal, 5(5), 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, K. (2010). Carelessness: A hidden doxa of higher education CHEER/ESRC seminar series ‘Imagining the University of the Future’. seminar 2: What are the disqualified discourses in the knowledge society? Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research (CHEER), University of Sussex. http://www.sussex.ac.uk/education/cheer/esrcseminars/seminar2. Date accessed 5 Sept 2012.

  • Lynch, K., Baker, J., & Lyons, M. (2009). Affective equality: Love, care and injustice. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Malaysia Government. (2005). Ninth Malaysia plan 2006–2010. Kuala Lumpur: Government Printers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malaysia Government. (2007). National higher educational strategic plan 2007–2010. Putrajaya: Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malaysia Government. (2010). Tenth Malaysia plan 2011–2015. Putrajaya: Economic Planning Unit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malaysia Government. (2012). National education statistics: Higher education centre. Putrajaya: Planning, Research and Policy Coordination Division.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malaysia Government. (2013). Statistics on women, family and community Malaysia. Putrajaya: Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manfredi, S., Grisoni, L., & Handley, K. (2014). Gender and higher education leadership: Researching the careers of top management programme alumni. http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/research-resources/published-research/research-bytheme/leading-equality-and-diversity/gender-and-higher-education-leadership.cfm. Accessed 2 Sept 2014.

  • Marshall, J. (2007). The gendering of leadership in corporate social responsibility. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 20(2), 165–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamad, M., Ng, C., & Hui, T. (2006). Feminism and the women’s movement in Malaysia: An unsung (R)Evolution. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mok, K. H. (2008). Varieties of regulatory regimes in Asia: The liberalization of the higher education market and changing governance in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. The Pacific Review, 21(2), 147–170. May 2008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morley, L. (1999). Organising feminisms. The micropolitics of the academy. Basingstoke: Macmillan Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Morley, L. (2003). Quality and power in higher education. Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morley, L. (2011). Misogyny posing as measurement: Disrupting the feminisation crisis discourse. Contemporary Social Science, 6(2), 163–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morley, L. (2013, March). Absent talent: Women’s participation in higher education leadership and research. Paper presented at the Going Global 2013 Conference in Dubai.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neale, J., & Ozkanli, O. (2010). Organisational barriers for women in senior management position: A comparison of Turkish and New Zealand Universities. Gender and Education, 22(5), 547–563.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • New Straits Times. (2014, August 30). 286 Orang Asli enroll into public institutions, p 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nikiforova, I. (2011). Merit & occupational attachment of women in computer science. In S. Sofia & L. Husu (Eds.), GEXcel work in progress report volume XVII. Proceedings from GEXcel Themes 11–12: Gender Paradoxes in Changing Academic and Scientific Organisation. http://www.genderexcel.org/?q=webfm_send/99. Accessed 17 Sept 2014.

  • O’Brien, M. (2007). Mothers’ emotional care work in education and its moral imperative. Gender and Education, 19(2), 159–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Odejide, A., Akanji, B., & Odekunle, K. (2006). Does expansion mean inclusion in Nigerian Higher Education? Women's Studies International Forum, 29(6), 552–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD. (2010). Atlas of gender and development: How social norms affect gender equality in non-OECD countries. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohene, I. (2010). Gender and leadership in higher educational institutions: Exploring perceptions and practices in University of Cape Coast, Ghana. International EdD Thesis, University of Sussex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Onsongo, J. (2004). Factors affecting women’s participation in University Management in Kenya. Addis: Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rab, M. (2010). The life stories of successful women academics in Pakistani public sector universities. EdD Thesis, Institute of Education, University of London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rees, T. (2011). The gendered construction of scientific excellence. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 36(2), 133–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Runte, M., & Mills, A. J. (2004). Paying the toll: A feminist post-structural critique of the discourse bridging work and family. Culture and Organization, 10(3), 237–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saraswathi, M. (2014). Malaysia fast becoming preferred destination for higher education among Pakistan students – consul general. 25 Aug. http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1063165. Accessed 30 Aug 2014.

  • Schroeder, J., Dugdale, H. L., Radersma, R., Hinsch, M., Buehler, D. M., Saul, J., Porter, L., Liker, A., De Cauwer, I., Johnson, P. J., Santure, A. W., Griffin, A. S., Bolund, E., Ross, L., Webb, T. J., Feulner, P. G. D., Winney, I., Szulkin, M., Komdeur, J., Versteegh, M. A., Hemelrijk, C. K., Svensson, E. I., Edwards, H., Karlsson, M., West, S. A., Barrett, E. L. B., Richardson, D. S., van den Brink, V., Wimpenny, J. H., Ellwood, S. A., Rees, M., Matson, K. D., Charmantier, A., dos Remedios, N., Schneider, N. A., Teplitsky, C., Laurance, W. F., Butlin, R. K., & Horrocks, N. P. C. (2013). Fewer invited talks by women in evolutionary biology symposia. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 26, 2063–2069. doi:10.1111/jeb.12198. Accessed 29 September 2014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shackleton, L., Riordan, S., & Simonis, D. (2006). Gender and the transformation agenda in South African higher education. Women's Studies International Forum, 29(6), 572–580.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shah, S. (2001). Tertiary colleges in Pakistan: Gender and equality. The School Field, XII(3/4), 49–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • She Figures. (2003). Statistics and indicators on gender equality in science. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • She Figures. (2006). Statistics and indicators on gender equality in science. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • She Figures. (2009). Statistics and indicators on gender equality in science. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • She Figures. (2012). Statistics and indicators on gender equality in science. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, A. (2001, June 22–29). The body and management pedagogy. Proceedings of the Gender, Work & Organization Conference, Keele.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. K. S. (2003). Still a single sex profession? Female staff numbers in Commonwealth Universities. London: Association of Commonwealth Universities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J. K. S. (2008). Whispers of change. Female staff numbers in Commonwealth Universities. London: Association of Commonwealth Universities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smit, P. (2006). Leadership in South African higher education: A multifaceted conceptualisation. PhD Thesis, Institute of Education, University of London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stivens, M. (2006). Family values and Islamic Revival: Gender, rights and state moral projects in Malaysia. Women's Studies International Forum, 29(4), 354–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teichler, U., Arimoto, A., & Cummings, W. K. (2013). The changing academic profession: Major findings of a comparative survey. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • THES. (2014). THE 100 under 50 universities 2012. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2012/one-hundred-under-fifty. Accessed 30 Aug 2014.

  • UNESCO. (2014). Higher education in Asia: Expanding out, expanding up. Quebec: UNESCO Institute of Statistics. http://www.uis.unesco.org/Library/Documents/higher-education-asia-graduate-university-research-2014-en.pdf. Accessed 3 Sept 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO Institute of Statistics. (2009). Global education digest 2009: Comparing education statistics across the world. Montreal: UNESCO Institute of Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO Institute of Statistics. (2010). Global education digest 2010: Comparing education statistics across the world (a special focus on gender). Paris: UNESCO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valian, V. (1999). Why so slow? The advancement of women. Boston: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van den Brink, M., Benschop, Y., & Jansen, W. (2010). Transparency in academic recruitment: A problematic tool for gender equality? Organization Studies, 31(12), 1–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verloo, M., & Lombardo, E. (2007). Contested gender equality and policy variety in Europe: Introducing a critical frame analysis approach. In M. Verloo (Ed.), Multiple meanings of gender equality. A critical frame analysis. Budapest/New York: Central European University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wan, C. D. (2012, December). Bulletin national higher education research (pp. 3–7), No 20. National Higher Education Institute (IPPTN).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenneras, C., & Wold, A. (1997). Nepotism and sexism in peer review. Nature, 387, 341–343. 22 May.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, R., & Yussof, I. (2005). Public and private provision of higher education in Malaysia: A comparative analysis. Higher Education, 50, 361–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, R. (2012, October 22). Scholarly publishing’s gender gap: Women cluster in certain fields, according to a study of millions of journal articles, while men get more Credit. The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com/article/The-Hard-Numbers-Behind/135236/?cid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en. Accessed 26 Oct 2013.

  • Woodward, D. (2007). Work-life balancing strategies used by women managers in British ‘Modern’ universities. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/02610150710726507. Accessed 18 Sept 2014.

  • World Bank. (2007). Malaysia and the knowledge economy: Building a world-class higher education system. Washington, DC: The World Bank. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTMALAYSIA/Resources/Malaysia-Knowledge-Economy2007.pdf. Accessed 30 Aug 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (2014). Labor force participation rate female (% of female population age 15+) (modelled ILO estimated). Washington, DC: The World Bank. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS. Accessed 4 Sept 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yusof, Z. A., & Bhattasali, D. (2008). Economic growth and development in Malaysia: Policy making and leadership (Commission on Growth and Development Working Paper No. 27). Kuala Lumpur: Commission on Growth and Development.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the Ministry of Women, Families and Community Development in Malaysia for funding the research, and to the University of Sussex for Louise Morley’s time and to Hidir Mohamed for research assistance with this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Louise Morley .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Morley, L., Berma, M., Abdul Hamid, B.D. (2017). Managing Modern Malaysia: Women in Higher Education Leadership. In: Eggins, H. (eds) The Changing Role of Women in Higher Education. The Changing Academy – The Changing Academic Profession in International Comparative Perspective, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42436-1_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42436-1_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-42434-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-42436-1

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics