Abstract
The case study university was established for women’s education by federal decree of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 1990s. It was selected as it has a high percentage of women leaders. That situation is unusual, particularly in the male dominated socio-cultural environment of the Middle East. Regional statistics on women in academia are analysed in this chapter, and an interpretation of interviews with female leaders at the university is presented. Three themes of best practices were identified: women leading change within the specific academic context of the case study university (CSU); recruitment, retention, and promotion policies that support women’s leadership; and the mitigation of influences from the socio-cultural environment. These best practices in the CSU enabled the negotiation of space for women’s academic leadership.
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Notes
- 1.
There are six Arab Gulf states (in alphabetical order): Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
- 2.
The Emirati are citizens of the country and are also referred to as nationals and locals. Most of the population is foreigners who are referred to as expatriates, and they are granted residency status through short-term visas linked to employment.
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Kemp, L.J., Gitsaki, C., Zoghbor, W. (2017). Negotiating Space for Women’s Academic Leadership within the Arab Gulf States. In: White, K., O'Connor, P. (eds) Gendered Success in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56659-1_7
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