Leadership journeys of women in Nordic higher education : a narrative research study exploring leadership development experiences through narrative inquiry

Abstract

Although the landscape for higher education continues to change at a rapid pace in the United States, women are still less represented among the upper leadership positions in this industry. Research studies continue to emerge and highlight the financial importance and innovative benefits of have a diverse leadership team. This study focused on insights and understanding the leadership development journeys of four successful executive women in Nordic IHE. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of senior-level women administrators in IHE located in Nordic countries and better understand what is involved in leadership development, how they achieved their desired career advancement, and the individual and organizational components that were essential for their success. Their stories provided key insights on different forms of leadership development opportunities for aspiring women as well institutional characteristics that are critical for their success. These insights include advice for women aspiring to the executive level. Insights are also captured for US academic institutions to improve the diversification of their leadership team, including aspects of their organizational conditions, collaboration, training, support, and human resource agendas. There are many studies that explore the lack of diversity of women in leadership but few that focus on what is already working especially in the face of such as changing landscape as higher education. This study, however, focused on successful women in the context of Nordic higher educational leadership and will contribute to the continued studies of leadership development.