A British Council, Going Global Funded Project on Gender Equality
Lead-Jo will foster long-term strategic links between UCEM, Philadelphia University, with other key partners from Jordanian HEI, governmental institutions, civil institutions, and NGOs for sustainable work on gender equality in the leadership positions in the Jordanian HEI.
The outcomes will create more extensive networks enabling the partners to collaborate and create future research initiatives by providing a solid base for future research in gender equality at the leadership level within higher education institutions and industry. It will significantly lead to knowledge transfer and a better understanding of local challenges and problems.
Furthermore, the proposed project will help to build relationships for future joint research funding bids/ post-grad study/ Transnational Educational Delivery in the area of gender equality where gender equality at the leadership level is still a critical area for improvement with a broad range of complex factors that have yet to be resolved. Exploring training and capacity development options and accreditation of Jordanian efforts regarding gender equality in top management is possible to align them with global best practices for equality.
The partnership will help UK partners through PI contact to lead gender debate in the region and guide local institutions in improving progress toward Equality in Jordanian Higher Education and Leadership via societal and structural changes.
Get Involved
As part of the project deliverables, the Lead-Jo project will host 2 networking and capacity building workshops. First in Zarqa, Jordan and second in Reading, United Kingdom. Participants will get a unique opportunity to engage with multidisciplinary experts in various aspects of gender equality leadership. This will help to build a relationship for future joint research funding bids/ post-grad study/ Trans National Educational Delivery. Some of the expenses will also be paid by the project for participants.
To book your place, please click on the link below:
UCEM to explore challenges of gender equality with three funded research grants
Our Success Stories
In the built environment sector, one of the world’s most significant challenges still prevails – gender equality. UCEM is proud to have won three externally funded research grants from the British Council, which will explore this topic and could influence and champion change for GENDER EQUALITY.
24,600 for ‘Furthering gender equality in Jordanian higher education and leadership via societal and structural changes.’ In partnership with Philadelphia University, Jordan.
The inequality and inclusion of women in leadership of academics is a common problem worldwide. In the UK, the gender imbalance is severe at the executive management level (Davies, 2015), similarly, women are underrepresented in university leadership roles (Morley, 2013). Across the sector, 27.5% of academic managers and 20.5% of professors are female, and only 17% hold the top vice-chancellor and principal roles. If the UK stats are bleak, the stats for Jordan are a wider cause for concern, something this research will aim to address.
£24,600 for ‘Gender, education, and career; improving transitions for women from higher education to employment in Egypt, in partnership with British University in Egypt
According to the Global Gender Gap Report (2015) and the World Bank (2016), thirteen out of the fifteen countries with the lowest rates of female workforce globally are in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It is estimated that this accounts for 27% of income loss due to the gap in female workforce participation. A study in Egypt remarks that while the country seems to have successfully prepared female engineers, the difficulty confronting these engineers starts after graduation when they are looking to enter the workforce (Adams & Miller, 2016). Therefore, investigating the factors that lead to this drop is crucial for understanding and tackling the problem to minimize the gender equality gap in Egypt.
£23,950 for ‘Levelling up STEM! Towards gender equality in the pathways to Jordanian Higher Education and employability.’ In partnership with the Hashemite University, Jordan.
With a literacy rate of over 98% (World Bank, 2018), Jordan can proudly boast that it is one of the most highly educated countries in the region. UNESCO reported in April 2022 that the proportion of female students in the natural sciences, medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy was more than 60%; however the figure in other areas of STEM is disparate, with engineering being a low 28%. Whilst females are not restricted in curricular choice, somewhat tangible and intangible societal and cultural constraints impede work opportunities in certain disciplines. This piece aims to look at how gender equality in STEM areas can be improved.