Gendered 'leaky Pipelines' In Higher Education: Towards A Supervision Framework For Breaking Through The Glass Ceiling

Abstract

Higher education in South Africa and internationally is characterised by structural and systemic gender disparities. This is shown in the ‘leaky pipeline’ in doctoral success and leadership roles, with females underrepresented in doctoral studies, doctoral graduation rates and senior positions. Studies in South Africa show that between 2013 and 2021, more doctorates were awarded to males than females and that there are more males in leadership positions in higher education. A counterargument often presented is that more women than men are graduating at the undergraduate level. This is a significant stride for women’s empowerment. This article argues that institutions’ structural gender disparities put women at a disadvantage and that current policies are not leading to equal proportions of men and women in leadership positions. The article considers the dominant Eurocentric and masculinist supervision model which perpetuates the ‘leaky pipeline’. Alongside empowerment theory, a feminist pedagogical perspective underpins the article which proposes a supervision framework that can address the present structural gender disparities and facilitate female doctoral success and access to leadership positions.