ALTHOUGH women have made significant progress in higher education globally, gender imbalance remains in top leadership positions.
According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, only 58 of the world’s top 200 universities are led by women.
Recognising the need to build a sustainable pipeline of women leaders among academics and administrators in Malaysian institutions, the Higher Education Leadership Academy (AKEPT), in collaboration with Universiti Malaya (UM), recently launched SheLeads, the first national-level leadership development platform dedicated to this group.
Through a comprehensive approach that includes leadership training, mentoring, knowledge sharing, as well as opportunities to build professional networks and supportive communities, participants in the programme are expected not only to strengthen their leadership competencies, but also to play a role in driving the transformation of Malaysia’s higher education landscape towards a more progressive, inclusive and sustainable system.
The inaugural SheLeads 2026 cohort, which is expected to graduate in November, comprises 44 participants from management and professional academic and non-academic groups across 20 public universities.
The programme, which is supported by the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia and the Asian Women’s Leadership University College, will run for nine months across three main phases.
Four leadership webinars featuring prominent women leaders from academia, industry and the public sector were held from March to May, followed by an intensive in-person leadership development programme at AKEPT from June 22 to 25.
A mentoring phase will run from August to October, supported by engagement sessions with senior industry leaders.
Higher Education director-general Prof Datuk Dr Azlinda Azman, who officiated the launch on June 22, noted that the programme was designed specifically to support university leadership succession planning.
She said the initiative aims to ensure that potential women leaders are identified early, given appropriate exposure, equipped with the necessary competencies, and actively considered for future leadership positions.
She urged universities to strengthen leadership development approaches in a more systematic and continuous manner.
“Leadership development cannot happen by chance. It must be carefully planned. Universities cannot wait for vacancies before searching for successors. A leadership pipeline must be developed systematically and continuously,” she said.
UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman said SheLeads 2026 reflects the varsity’s commitment to strengthening the national leadership ecosystem through structured talent development.
“UM fully supports strategic initiatives in strengthening the pipeline of women leaders in higher education institutions, and ensuring that high-potential talent is continuously developed to contribute to more sustainable and high-impact institutional leadership,” he said in a press release.
AKEPT director Prof Dr Harshita Aini Haroon said the initiative is not merely a training programme, but a strategic platform for women’s leadership development that supports the agenda of building a progressive, innovative and excellent higher education ecosystem.
