The New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ committee has identified the need to address gender imbalance in senior academic and managerial positions and progress equitable employment outcomes at a time of public interest and of tertiary sector reform. Women still only represent 16.9% of professors and associate professors in New Zealand (McGregor 2005). Although this situation exists in other countries and in other fields (Davidson and Burke, 2004), the university figures are particularly concerning. Whilst it may seem more women are being given/take up leadership opportunities, the literature suggests a wide range of difficulties including: they are more likely to be put in ‘precarious’ leadership positions and are more likely to be under close scrutiny (Ryan and Haslam 2005). However, little research about women’s own perspectives on both barriers and facilitators is available, particularly in New Zealand. Such research is needed to uncover the complexities affecting the development of women as leaders in university settings. One of the challenges is to establish links or causality between experiences in work and non-work settings and how they affect women developing as leaders in universities. Of particular concern for this research project was understanding the ways in which formal and informal experiences impact on professional development and advancement by women, from the perspective of the women themselves. This six-month evidence-based project investigated this question, in a national on-line survey utilizing the Critical Incident Technique (Flanagan, 1954). The project aimed to enhance knowledge about the perceived facilitators and barriers to advancement for women in universities. This knowledge will allow women academics to consider explicitly their own careers and how best to manage barriers and make the most of facilitators they experience. In addition, tertiary institutions will be encouraged to use the information in ways to support, encourage and challenge young academics so that we maintain their contribution to the sector. Promoting leadership potential in young & mature female academics is crucial if we are to rectify the current imbalance in gender distribution in leadership and decision making in universities. Correcting this imbalance is more than simple equity in numbers. It aims to ensure the recognized contribution women can make is harnessed for the benefit of individuals, our universities and indeed society. Participants in this research included women employed in general and academic positions of leadership in universities. A position of leadership was defined as one in which the participant was: (a) Academic Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer or equivalent; Head of Department/School, Dean, Associate Dean or (b) General: General Manager, Manager. Participants were sought from all eight universities in New Zealand, including women in general and academic positions of leadership in universities. Up to 60 participants were sought, with at least two (one general staff, one academic) from each of the seven universities. The survey resulted in the production of critical incidents narratives; and categories of good practice to inform professional development interventions based on the analysis and interpretation of the narratives.

This research was a qualitative study utilizing the Critical Incident Technique (Flanagan, 1954). This project, which ran from August 2007 to June 2008 made use of an on-line survey with four questions, namely: (a) Can you describe a time when something has happened to you in a work situation that helped in your advancement in university leadership? (work = professional contexts). (b) Can you describe a time when something has happened to you in a work situation that hindered in your advancement in university leadership? (work = professional contexts). (c) Can you describe a time when something has happened to you in a non-work situation that helped in your advancement in university leadership? (non-work = home, family, and wider life activities). (d) Can you describe a time when something has happened to you in a non-work situation that hindered in your advancement in university leadership? (non-work = home, family, and wider life activities). This structure was used to ensure we obtained ‘positive’ stories of success in addition to barrier identification. The critical incident need not be a career incident, since other life-changing events often do impact on career development. Women could nominate up to two stories/critical incidents related to each question meaning a possible 8 stories per participant. The survey resulted in the production of critical incidents narratives; and categories to inform professional development interventions based on the analysis and interpretation of the narratives. The key method for obtaining data was the Critical Incidents Technique. The Critical Incidents Technique is an established method of narrative inquiry which was used to reveal and chronicle the lived experience of (in this project) women in leadership roles in university. Women were asked to describe times when incidents in work or non-work situations have helped (or hindered) them developing as leaders in universities. In line with the Critical Incident Technique, the resultant participant ‘stories’ were grouped into categories which can inform professional development practices. In addition to describing critical incidents participants provided biographical information: o Age band: 20-29 years; 30-39 years; 40-49 years; 50-59 years; 60 years and upwards; o Gender: Male/ Female [Please note: This question was for the participant to confirm their gender is female. This study interviewed female participants only] o Ethnicity: Māori, Pākehā/ European, Pasifika o Leadership role currently held: General position or Academic position (check one). If General, then Manager, General Manager (check one). If Academic, then Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, Head of Department/School, Dean, Associate Dean or equivalent (check one).

• Identify international good practice in helping women develop as leaders in university settings; • Deliver high quality research on practices that help or hinder women to develop as leaders in universities; • Identify factors that help and hinder women to develop as leaders in universities; and • Produce practical advice on how to develop effective programmes to help women to develop as leaders in universities.