Looking at the field of higher education in Syria, the available studies on educational leadership are very few (Abdalla & Al-Hamoud 1995; Dalati 2014; Khalifa & Ayoubi 2015), and the issue of female leadership in higher education institutions is still untackled. Women’s status, education, employment and enhancement in society has been emphasised and endorsed by Syrian governmental legislations and policies (Touchan, 2014). However, these regulations of inclusion and equality does not necessitate commitment and achieving justice (Deem & Ozaga. 1997; Ahmed, 2013). Lack of research does not mean that the problem does not exist; I analysed 22 university websites and found   a complete lack of diversity words and speech acts in universities’ mission statements. In some universities, the proportion of female professors in top roles was also extremely low or non-existent. Responding to this issue of inequality and lack of discussion of this issue in Syria, this study aims to investigate the experiences, and perspectives of Syrian academic faculty members in current or previous leadership roles in various Syrian universities with the view to understand the barriers for female academics in career progression and the enablers for those who hold successful executive leadership roles. The research project was guided by the following research questions: 

How do male and female academics perceive women and men in leadership positions?

What do female and male Syrian academics consider to be obstacles to their career progression and how these differ by gender?

What are the facilitating enablers that have helped successful Syrian female leaders in Higher Education to reach top leadership positions, and what are the struggle they face in their new space? 

In addressing these questions, the study’s objectives are to investigate gender inequality in academia as it manifests itself in various settings, such as homes, society, institutions, employment, as well as the struggle and symbolic violence that female academics face as a result of invading new spaces.

This study utilizes multiple theoretical frameworks. I draw upon Pierre Bourdieu's schematic form: habitus, field, capital, reflexivity and symbolic violence to understand how societal structures and power dynamics shape individuals' perceptions and actions within a given field, and to examine how the accumulation of cultural and symbolic resources by men in academia perpetuates a system of patriarchy, thereby limiting the opportunities and recognition of women in leadership positions (1977, 1984,1986,1990). Additionally, feminist theories are used especially those that re read and analyse Bourdieu’s works in relations to gender, and the concept of reflexivity, and how individuals can change the internalized habitus through their practices (Fraser, 1989; Mitchell, 1991). The results of this change and the struggle female academics face is discussed through the lens of Puwar’s theory of space invaders (2004) and Sara Ahmed's concepts of "feminist killjoy", "the wall of academia" and "the politics of being included" (2010, 2012, 2017) to understand the following:

how women's presence in academia is often perceived as a disruption of the status quo and how they are treated as invaders in the male-dominated spaces and how they can change the space and make it more inclusive.

how the academic institution itself can act as a barrier for marginalized groups and the strategies individuals use to navigate and resist these barriers. 

how the act of inclusion is not neutral, but rather it is a political act that perpetuates the power dynamics that lead to exclusion.

The framework also incorporates Connell's concepts of hegemonic masculinity, and gender and power (1987, 1995), which highlight how dominant forms of masculinity serve to marginalize and oppress women, and how the norms and expectations  shape the academic career advancement of men and women differently. 

This study used a qualitative methodology. One-to-one semi- structured interviews were conducted with 28 female and male academics, who held at the time of research or used to hold senior leadership positions in higher education (university presidents, vice presidents, Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments, and representatives of other management units). The participants were from 15 public and private Syrian universities, and the selection followed purposeful and snowballing sampling. Employing semi-structured interviews was appropriate to capture the perception of each participant on their career progression and their opinions of female leadership, as each individual has a unique experience and lived in different circumstances in this research context. The respondents were asked to discuss and reflect on their struggles to reach the top of their profession, and also for their perspectives on the academic, social and cultural challenges that face female advancements, as well as the potential risks and their consequences. Thematic analysis was utilized as the method of data analysis which is a widely used method in qualitative research that involves identifying, analysing and interpreting patterns or themes within the data collected (Braun & Clarke, 2006). To assist with the data analysis process, NVivo software was utilized because it allows for the organization and coding of data, as well as the identification of patterns and themes within the data. The use of thematic analysis and NVivo software enabled an in-depth examination of the experiences and perspectives of the participants and facilitated the identification of factors that hinder or facilitate the progression of women to senior leadership positions in the higher education sector in Syria. So, this methodological approach is for gaining insights and interpretations and the result can contribute to the literature and can be considered a point of departure to advocate change both on Syria and other middle eastern countries with similar contexts (Creswell, 2013; Silverman, 2014; Bryman, 2016; Connolly, 1998).

Some of the key themes emerged from this study are patriarchal and sociocultural practises, denial of the problem and complete absence of diversity and equality discourse, exclusion and various forms of symbolic violence against female academics, internalised personal attributes, and viewing the field of higher education as a field of power and struggle. The study carries a strong originality in a male-dominated culture and in the absence of such research in the Syrian context, the study addresses a literature gap by sharing insights of female and male academics and bringing to surface the barriers that obstruct women from holding high positions, and it also clarifies some possible enablers to empower women in academia. On another level, contextual background data that are reviewed and collected from different legal documents and websites will add vital information to the literature, providing a wider overview of higher education in Syria, gender issues and the proportions of female leaders within the sector of higher education, especially because there is scarcity in information in the last ten years due to the current civil war, instability, and academic recession. This study will develop a new substantial data set and literature that could also be of interest to scholars of other Middle Eastern countries that have similar social, cultural and economic background, with particular emphasis on women in higher education institutions who aim to access leadership positions or who are in such positions already. The data could be beneficial to policymakers and higher education management in improving the status of women’s progression to leadership roles. I hope the findings of the current study will promote the status of female academic leaders in Syria and the Middle East and be a significant first initiative that will lead into conducting other studies and more awareness on the topic and possible changes.

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