Research project
Can transnational education address female underrepresentation in Higher Education leadership?
- Start date: 20 March 2025
- End date: 30 June 2026
- Principal investigator: Dr Gideon Azumah and Professor Yingqi Wei (Leeds University Business School)
- Co-investigators: Dr Nafisat Olabisi, Loughborough Business School, University of Loughborough, UK; Cynthia Itboh Abagre, University for Development Studies, Ghana; Professor Salihu Adelabu, Oyo State Education Commissioner, Nigeria; Honourable Lydia Akanvaraba, Member of Parliament, Ghana.
Description
This project will explore how transnational education (TNE) can facilitate the transfer and adaptation of gender equality best practices to improve female leadership and capacity building in the higher education (HE) sector.
With UK universities being leaders of both gender equality and TNE, and Ghana and Nigeria being the largest recipients of UK TNE in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), we (three UK-based, one Ghana-based and one Nigeria-based academics) will collaborate with policymakers in Ghana and Nigeria, to conduct a detailed study of the gender equality policies in all three countries. We will identify and analyse mechanisms employed by UK universities through TNE to address female leadership underrepresentation in Ghana and Nigeria, and to assess their transferability and potential for replication and modification by other African HE institutions.
This project is funded by the British Council. (Ref: GEP2024-082).
Research overview
In this project, we aim to:
1. Conduct a policy analysis of gender-related policies in the UK, Ghana and Nigeria.
The transfer and adaptation of gender equality practices can be significantly influenced by gender equality regulations in Ghana and Nigeria. UK universities need to align their practices with the requirements of their home and host countries.
We will conduct a policy analysis, in collaboration with policy partners, Honourable Akanvariba (Ghana) and Honourable Adelabu (Nigeria) to provide a foundational understanding of the legal, institutional and cultural landscapes that influence gender equality in the HE sector in UK, Ghana and Nigeria, reveal areas of similarities and differences between policies in different countries, and identify gaps in existing policies in Ghana and Nigeria where UK initiatives through TNE can complement or enhance local practices.
2. Investigate the mechanisms through which UK universities transfer, adapt and implement their gender equality practices in Ghana and Nigeria.
Building on the contextual understanding gained from the policy analysis, we will work in collaboration with our research partners in Ghana and Nigeria to examine the channels and methods UK universities use to introduce their gender equality practices, such as partnerships, collaborative programs, or capacity-building initiatives.
Through interviews with university leaders from the UK, Ghana and Nigeria, we will explore how UK practices are tailored to fit the policy and cultural contexts of Ghana and Nigeria to ensure relevance and effectiveness in these environments.
3. Conduct an impact assessment.
We will, through focus groups with various stakeholders, including women working in universities, assess the effectiveness of these knowledge transfer initiatives in improving female leadership and enhancing capacity building in academia in Ghana and Nigeria and the role of local stakeholders in facilitating or hindering the adaptation and implementation process.
Given the significant gender equality focus, policies, and practices within UK universities, we will also explore how UK TNE can further contribute to gender equality policies and practices in Ghana and Nigeria and strengthen the leadership prospects for women.
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