Gendered career pathways in higher education: the case of women academics in Lebanon

Purpose This paper aims to examine how women academics assess their career trajectories and, where challenges are present, to explore the factors that motivate their continued engagement in academic work. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a qualitative research design based on 30 semistructured interviews with women academics employed at five Catholic universities. Interview data were analyzed using a systematic qualitative coding process to identify key themes and patterns across participants’ experiences. Findings The analysis identifies three major challenges encountered by women academics. Gender-related challenges include bias from male department heads and persistent sexual harassment. Representation-based challenges are reflected in the continued presence of the glass ceiling and the professional disadvantages associated with humility. Workload-related challenges involve heightened expectations for research productivity alongside extensive demands for community service, defined as academic activities beyond teaching and research that benefit the broader community, including stakeholder engagement, institutional outreach and public service initiatives. Despite these constraints, many women academics remain in academia to preserve social recognition and maintain financial stability through a regular income. Originality/value This study addresses a gap in the management, gender and higher education literature, where qualitative research remains limited in the Middle East and the wider MENA region. By documenting the challenges faced by women academics in Lebanon, the study contributes to ongoing debates on gender equality and women’s empowerment in comparable academic contexts.