Islamabad, 17 Oct 2023:A three-day international conference titled “Less Talk More Action: Changing the Course of Women’s Academic Leadership,” began at the Allama Iqbal Auditorium, Faisal Masjid Campus of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). This conference is organized by IIUI’s Faculty of Education in collaboration with Higher Education Commission Pakistan (HEC) and is a part of the “Shattering the Glass Ceiling: Challenges and Opportunities for Women Academic Leaders in Pakistani Universities” project. This press release was sourced from the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI).

Prof. Dr. Samina Malik, Rector, IIUI, highlighted the importance of the initiative, pointing out that it aims to address the challenges and opportunities women leaders face in academia. Dr. Samina, also the conference chair and Principal Investigator of the project, praised the scholars presenting their research, emphasizing the importance of such dialogue for the younger generation.

The inauguration session saw Ms. Noor Amna Malik, Managing Director of National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE) from HEC, emphasize the need to move beyond mere dialogue and focus on real-world changes in women’s academic leadership roles. She urged attendees to foster a collective, unbiased approach to addressing gender disparities.

Dr. Asma Mansoor, co-chair and co-principal investigator, outlined the goals of the three-day conference, running from October 17th to 19th, 2023. She emphasized its role as a platform for knowledge exchange and highlighted its alignment with broader efforts to advance gender equity in higher education. The conference schedule promises an in-depth examination of women’s academic leadership, with varied sessions and research paper presentations planned.

The intent is to catalyze positive change and advocate for gender inclusivity within Pakistani universities, aligning with the goals set out by the project’s HEC funding.