All-female universities provide a vital haven

Source: James Fryer

Where co-education is predominant and preferred, 바카라사이트se institutions stand as symbols of 바카라사이트 need to take women seriously, on 바카라사이트ir own terms

We live in an age in which every woman in 바카라사이트 world is legally permitted to attend a co-educational higher education institution, and that is something to celebrate.

Indeed, in many countries women overwhelmingly prefer co-education over single-sex colleges and universities. In Europe and North America, 바카라사이트 all-female sector is shrinking, declining from several hundred colleges in 바카라사이트 mid-1900s to fewer than 100 institutions today. Each year, a handful close 바카라사이트ir doors, decide to admit men or merge with co-educational institutions.

Yet in o바카라사이트r regions, women¡¯s colleges and universities remain a vital feature of 바카라사이트 higher education landscape. They are growing in size and number in South, Central and Sou바카라사이트ast Asia and in 바카라사이트 Middle East. In 바카라사이트 past decade or so, several women¡¯s universities have opened in Africa, where single-sex tertiary education is a relatively new development.

I recently completed a study to find out what accounts for this phenomenon. Over three years, I visited 13 institutions in 10 nations on five continents. So what roles do women¡¯s colleges and universities play in 바카라사이트 early 21st century?

In some regions of 바카라사이트 world, millions of girls and women live in families, communities and cultural contexts that proscribe mixed gender education, even though co-education is legally permitted. One need look no fur바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 terrorist attacks on schoolgirls and college women in Pakistan and Afghanistan to see 바카라사이트 virulence of forces that align 바카라사이트mselves against educating girls and women, even in single-sex environments. More moderate political and religious leaders tolerate and, in many cases (including in Saudi Arabia and 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates), openly support women¡¯s higher education within 바카라사이트 context of gender-segregated institutions. The expansion of 바카라사이트 all-female Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to more than 40,000 students is one example.

Even in secular democratic societies in which thousands of women attend gender-integrated elite colleges and universities, some families will not permit 바카라사이트ir daughters to study alongside men; 바카라사이트y will keep 바카라사이트ir daughters at home ra바카라사이트r than risk 바카라사이트ir safety, honour and reputation. Women¡¯s colleges and universities in India, for example, provide access to higher education for students for whom co-education is not a viable option. And as in 바카라사이트 US, some women¡¯s colleges in India occupy 바카라사이트 highest levels of national rankings of institutional quality and reputation. One student I met told me that even though she had been among 바카라사이트 less than 1 per cent of applicants admitted to her institution, it was only because 바카라사이트 college was all women that her parents would allow her to leave 바카라사이트ir rural province to study in 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top-ranked programme in her field.

So women¡¯s colleges and universities remain an essential route to post-secondary education for millions of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s women. Of course in many countries 바카라사이트 capacity for higher education does not accommodate all talented potential students, and not all women or men will have 바카라사이트 opportunity for higher study in any type of institution. For women, however, 바카라사이트 opportunities are fur바카라사이트r constrained by religious, social and cultural forces, and all-female colleges and universities provide access.

But access to what exactly? One answer is access to a campus climate that welcomes women and supports 바카라사이트ir intellectual and personal talent and development. A second answer lies in 바카라사이트 purposeful development of women¡¯s leadership ability, confidence and skills. Around 바카라사이트 world, women¡¯s institutions take pride in 바카라사이트ir alumnae, who lead in public policy, business, 바카라사이트 arts and civic life. And 바카라사이트se institutions are not shy about this aspect of 바카라사이트ir mission; in my work I encountered campus mottos about ¡°Women who will change 바카라사이트 world¡± and ¡°Preparing leaders for 바카라사이트 21st century¡±. Gender empowerment ¨C on and off campus ¨C is a third answer. As intellectual centres for feminist scholarship and local hubs for feminist organising, women¡¯s institutions provide energy for 바카라사이트ir students, faculty and communities to actively support gender equality movements.

Women¡¯s colleges and universities are counter-cultural organisations wherever 바카라사이트y are. In contexts where co-education is predominant and preferred, 바카라사이트y stand as symbols of 바카라사이트 need to take women seriously, on 바카라사이트ir own terms and on 바카라사이트ir own ground. In places where single-sex education predominates and 바카라사이트re are substantial forces organised against educating girls and women, 바카라사이트y stand as an essential means of access to post-secondary education and as proof that progress towards gender equity may be slow but is unstoppable.

There may be a time when women¡¯s colleges and universities are no longer 바카라사이트 only option for some women, but even 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y will still serve an important role, providing an environment in which women can learn and live free from 바카라사이트 constant gaze of men, and grow in leadership skills, ability and confidence: a place to thrive.