SEMINAR 01 - Empowering Women’s Leadership in Vietnamese Higher Education Institutions

On 8 June 2026, the UEH Sustainable Finance Institute (SFI), University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), in collaboration with the University of York (UoY), United Kingdom, organised Seminar 01 under the project ‘Empowering Women’s Leadership in Vietnamese Higher Education Institutions: Navigating Retirement-Age Reforms and Cultural Barriers’.

Funded by the British Council through the Gender Equality Partnerships Grant, the project addresses the persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership roles within Vietnamese higher education institutions (HEIs).

Held in Room B1.1001 at UEH Campus B, the seminar brought together academics, researchers, and institutional representatives to share and discuss preliminary research findings on women’s leadership pathways in higher education. Attention was given to the implications of Vietnam’s retirement-age reform for women academics’ career development, leadership aspirations, and opportunities for advancement.

Assoc. Prof. Bui Thi Mai Hoai, Principal Investigator, opened the session with an overview of the project, highlighting its objectives, research design, and relevance to gender equality and leadership development. She presented key insights from qualitative research based on in-depth interviews, offering a nuanced understanding of how women academics interpret retirement policy changes, navigate leadership ambitions, and encounter institutional and cultural challenges.

Dr. Pham Thai Binh then introduced the study’s quantitative findings, which aligned closely with the qualitative results. Together, the evidence underscored the project’s central message: “More Time, Same Filters”. While extending women’s statutory retirement age may create additional time for professional growth and leadership preparation, enduring institutional and cultural barriers continue to shape access to leadership opportunities.

An interactive discussion followed, yielding valuable perspectives on improving transparency in leadership selection, strengthening career pathways for female academics, and fostering more inclusive academic environments. Participants also emphasized the importance of recognising women’s diverse leadership contributions, including formal managerial roles as well as academic, research, and project-based leadership.

The seminar concluded with closing remarks, a group photograph, and a networking session. Overall, the event contributed to broader academic and policy discussions on gender equality, leadership development, and institutional reform in Vietnamese HEIs, while also advancing research collaboration between UEH, SFI, and UoY under the British Council-funded Gender Equality Partnerships framework.