ABSTRACT
The under-representation of women in senior levels of the academic hierarchy, especially in the fields of science, engineering and technology, implies an insufficiency of mentorship. This chapter provides an in-depth literature review of articles addressing gender inequities in academia in Hong Kong, Japan, the People's Republic of China, South Korea and Taiwan. It focuses on impediments to women's representation at leadership level in higher education. Little research to date has been carried out on the wider issues of inclusive learning environments or inclusive leadership in higher education in East Asia. Arguably, academia is an area where male culture and norms are practiced, favored and maintained. Impediments to access and success in senior and leadership positions lie in the bonding culture among the academics leading the academy. The structural and cultural impediments for women academics to fully commit to career advancement also lie outside the academy, namely in the significant struggles they encounter in negotiating and striking work-family balance.
