ABSTRACT
Despite having come a long way in educational attainment, women in academia continue to lag in senior academic positions. Gendered organisational practices at higher education institutions have long been held responsible for the glass ceilings faced by female academics. A deeper look at the statistics reveals continuing disparities in rank and prestige, highlighting the prevalence of glass cliffs for female leaders in academia. This chapter briefly reviews the current state of women in higher education. It identifies issues that remain a challenge for a woman’s academic career trajectory. In doing so, we better understand the stressors, including the multiple roles and institutional pressures that present unique pressure on women academics. We then end by highlighting useful strategies for navigating academia and our career trajectories. These include support networks, male allies, engagement in professional networks, and participation in virtual communities for professional development.
