Women’s academic leadership under competing higher education policies in Taiwan

This paper considers the current status of academic performance and administrative leadership of women academics in Taiwan in the context of neo-liberalism. Emergent forces of higher education restructuring, including gender equity legislation have influenced Taiwanese universities to transition from authoritative state bureaucracies to more decentralised governance models. Qualitative research was used to frame and examine life situations, teaching and research, and performance of women academics. The study results showed that horizontal and vertical division of academic work, organisational roles and practices, and rewards and promotion are all gendered–which persistently disadvantages women as a group in terms of realising their potential and achieving leadership status. In conclusion, even with the presence of gender equity regulations, gendered power has been and is still relayed through teaching and mentoring responsibilities, research resources and opportunities, curriculum, organisational culture, tenure promotion, and management practices in Taiwan’s universities.