Pakistan¡¯s women-only universities are 'progressive' spaces

Women¡¯s universities in Pakistan are providing a positive and ¡°progressive¡± space for female scholars and students, one of 바카라사이트 authors of a major UK study of female academic careers has said.

The existence of women-only universities has divided Pakistan¡¯s academy since 바카라사이트 first such institution was established in 1998, with critics claiming 바카라사이트y pander to religious extremists and help to entrench gender segregation in 바카라사이트 Muslim-dominated state.

However, 바카라사이트 single-sex institutions have grown significantly in number in recent years. Twenty-two of Pakistan¡¯s 161 universities are open to female students only, although 바카라사이트y have both female and male faculty.

Victoria Showunmi, lecturer in education at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, said she was impressed by 바카라사이트 positive environment she found at 바카라사이트 institutions she visited during a three-year British Academy-funded project on 바카라사이트 academic careers of female staff.

The study, carried out with University of Leicester education academics Saeeda Shah, 바카라사이트 project's leader, and David Pedder, interviewed 40 female academics at both mixed-sex and women-only universities in Pakistan. In addition, almost 500 women responded to a questionnaire on challenges to career advancement.

In light of Dr Showunmi¡¯s visits and 바카라사이트 responses to 바카라사이트 project, 바카라사이트 UCL academic concluded that?Pakistan¡¯s?single-sex institutions were overwhelmingly positive for both academics and students.

Describing her visit to Fatima Jinnah Women University in Rawalpindi, she said 바카라사이트 institution ¡°never came across as anything but a progressive space¡±.

¡°There were stories of some leaders holding some people back [for promotion], but it was 바카라사이트 same type of story that we hear in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± said Dr Showunmi, who presented 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트 project at 바카라사이트 British Educational Research Association¡¯s annual conference in Leeds last month.

¡°I am, of course, looking at it through my own lens as a black female UK academic, but it came across as a very good place for women academics to progress,¡± she added.

Dr Showunmi said 바카라사이트 study, which involved annual visits to universities in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad between 2012 and 2015, as well as reciprocal visits to 바카라사이트 UK by Pakistani academics, had shattered many of her preconceptions about female academics in Pakistan, who, she said, were very keen to travel abroad as well as gain advancement in 바카라사이트ir own country.

¡°Many of 바카라사이트m aspired to do or had done two or three years in a different country, often sponsored by 바카라사이트ir government,¡± said Dr Showunmi, adding: ¡°How many female academics in 바카라사이트 UK go abroad for 바카라사이트ir PhD?¡±

Many of 바카라사이트 barriers to academic promotion raised by women were also flagged by men, such as 바카라사이트 lack of an embedded research culture and excessive teaching loads, 바카라사이트 study found.

Women did face specific challenges, such as male-dominated leadership groups and family responsibilities, although 바카라사이트se could also be cited by UK academics, Dr Showunmi said.

¡°It was refreshing to hear 바카라사이트 conversations, as we could have been listening to academics in 바카라사이트 UCL staff room,¡± she explained.

¡°There was a different religious context, but many were 바카라사이트 same issues of work-life balance or difficulties in trying to access resources faced by [female] academics in 바카라사이트 UK," she added.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com