On being women leaders in Higher Education in Vietnam

• Main Author: Thi Nga, Mary Nguyen
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2014
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/361
• Institution: De La Salle University

This dissertation focused on investigating the prospects of Vietnamese women academic leaders in acquiring top management posts in the Vietnamese education setting. The papers main thrust is to effectively demonstrate how these women academic leaders perceive leadership and to discuss further how the aspiration to become good leaders is being severely frustrated by cultural norms, political structures, and systemic issues that compound gender inequality in Vietnam. The paper analyzes how these challenges can be overcome and in the process enable women to assume senior leadership positions in academe and contribute to shattering the male dominance in a patriarchal society. The researcher interviewed six participants who are women leaders in six highly ranked universities in Ho Chi Minh City their insights, reflections and experiences were also documented. A descriptive explanatory multiple case study in a purely qualitative research design was used. The findings of the study revealed that competency, personal characteristics, and social skills are indispensable for effective and successful leaders and which the participants value and practice. The findings also found that the primary cause of under-representation of women in senior leadership positions is gender inequality which is perceived by the respondents to be deeply rooted in culture and social norms. The study recommended two specific coping strategies to integrate human and social capitals in the existing gender equality policies and programs. It concluded that freedom and cosmopolitan social justice are central to any form of socio-economic development.