The Gender Smart Leadership Short Course for Female Professionals has concluded with a call for stronger institutional support to enable more women to assume leadership roles in higher education and advance their careers with confidence.
The three-day virtual programme was organised by the Gender, Inclusion and Vulnerability (GIV) Office of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) in collaboration with the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and the KNUST E-Learning Centre. It brought together female academic staff, researchers, administrators and professional staff from KNUST and its affiliate institutions.
The course focused on practical leadership skills for women in higher education. Participants attended a plenary session on the opening day before splitting into separate learning tracks for academic staff and administrative and professional staff on the second and third days.
The opening session was facilitated by Prof. Pikay Richardson, who discussed leadership, decision-making and the barriers women face in attaining leadership positions. Participants explored how confidence, visibility, networking and effective communication can prepare women for leadership roles.
On the second day, Dr. Vincent Anum Ankamah Lomotey led the session for administrative and professional staff. He encouraged participants to view themselves as leaders regardless of their job titles and stressed the importance of planning, mentoring, effective communication and continuous learning. Participants also discussed institutional mechanisms for addressing workplace discrimination.
At the same time, Prof. Patricia Elaine Perkins led discussions for female academics. The session examined confidence, networking, public speaking and research visibility. Participants also explored the importance of supporting one another, building professional networks and promoting transparent and inclusive leadership processes within universities.
The final day featured another set of parallel sessions. Mr. Festus Nyame, Head of Human Resources at KNUST, led discussions on becoming an influential administrative leader, while Prof. Margaret Gyapong of the University of Health and Allied Sciences examined strategies for positioning women academics for research leadership. The programme concluded with evaluation sessions, a closing prayer and a virtual group photograph.
Throughout the programme, participants examined issues including leadership, mentoring, workplace culture, gender equality, communication, career planning and institutional change. They also shared experiences from their professional journeys and discussed practical approaches to addressing barriers faced by women in higher education.
A report produced after the programme recommends that KNUST strengthen its commitment to gender equality through clear institutional policies, regular diversity and inclusion training, structured mentorship programmes for academic and administrative staff, transparent promotion processes, and balanced representation on recruitment and evaluation panels. It also recommends institutionalising the Gender Smart Leadership Short Course as an annual programme to expand participation and sustain professional networking opportunities.
The report concludes that advancing women's leadership requires both individual commitment and institutional support. It notes that while meaningful change in higher education takes time, sustained action by individuals and institutions can create greater opportunities for women to lead and contribute to the advancement of higher education.
