The Role of Ethical Leadership in Addressing Gender Equality in Leadership Positions in Saudi Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines the role of ethical leadership in promoting gender equality in leadership positions within Saudi higher education, focusing on King Abdulaziz University as a case study. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, the study draws on thirty-seven semi-structured interviews with men and women in mid- and senior-level leadership roles, supported by secondary data.

The findings show that although recent national reforms, particularly Saudi Vision 2030, have expanded women’s participation and strengthened transparency and accountability, gender inequality in leadership remains influenced by organisational practices, sociocultural norms, and structural constraints. The study highlights ethical leadership as an important mechanism for promoting fairness, merit-based decision-making, and organisational legitimacy, while also demonstrating that leadership practices are shaped by cultural and institutional contexts.

The research contributes to understanding how ethical leadership can support substantive progress towards gender equality in higher education within reform-driven, non-Western settings, and offers practical insights for policymakers and university leaders seeking to enhance women’s leadership opportunities.