Gender representation and equity in Turkish academic leadership positions: sustainable development and policy implications

The need to study and address gender equity issues in academic leadership has been widely acknowledged. However, research on this subject has been conducted almost entirely within Western countries, excluding a vast majority of the world. To address this gap in the literature, this study explored the potential gender gap in Turkey through a descriptive analysis of the gender of the deans and assistant deans of all colleges of education (i.e. 80) in public universities in Turkey. The analyses determined that men comprised 74% of all administrative positions, with 69% of assistant deans and 79% of deans being male administrators. Patriarchal cultural values, politics, and economics are important considerations for understanding why this gender gap exists. Based on the Role Congruity Theory, this study identifies several potential influences and barriers in Turkish academic leadership related to women, discusses policy implications related to gender equity in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and reinforces that continuous research is necessary to understand and address this gender gap in Turkish academic leadership.