Women academic leaders in Saudi universities: Educational and psychological vision

There is limited understanding of women's leadership roles in Saudi Arabian university education, leading to a gap in scholarly literature despite significant advancements made by Saudi women in this field. However, they encounter several obstacles when striving for leadership roles at universities. This study seeks to examine the state of women's academic leadership within Saudi universities from an educational and psychological perspective, pinpointing the key challenges they face in obtaining such positions. The findings reveal that women leaders face various challenges, with organizational obstacles being the most significant, receiving a high average score of 4. Additionally, cultural and social barriers scored an average of 3.51, also rated highly, followed by psychological barriers with an average score of 3.26, which received a medium rating. Participants suggested comprehensive reforms to mitigate these challenges, notably implementing Saudi Vision 2030 principles and initiatives, which advocate for women faculty members to take on leadership roles at universities. These insights could not only benefit Saudi Arabia but also the wider Arab Gulf region, the Middle East, and other areas with similar conditions.