Higher Education forWomen in Asia

Abstract

This chapter examines higher education in Asia through the lens of gender. Women continue to face significant social and economic barriers despite their increased participation in tertiary education. This chapter reveals gender-based discrimination that begins in childhood and continues through to university matriculation. Single-sex institutions, such as the Asian University for Women, eliminate certain factors that prevent many women from continuing their education. However, co-ed institutions should also work toward gender equity, including promoting leadership opportunities for female students, counteracting traditional gender tracking by providing support for women in male-dominated fields, and cultivating an inclusive campus climate through student support services and an explicit emphasis on diversity. Undertaking these changes will unlock the social, political, and economic potential of a generation of women.