Doha, September 22 (QNA) - The inaugural Women in Leadership conference wrapped up at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), a Qatar Foundation partner university, with a session to build a network of professionals in higher education who support women in leadership.
In this context, Dean of CMU-Q Michael Trick believes that the conference has been an essential first step, stressing that there is more work to do in this regard.
Trick expressed his hope that the discussions over the past few days will trigger a shift in the understanding of the issues related to women empowerment, and serve as a foundation to build a more supportive community for women in higher education in Qatar.
For her part, the Associate dean of diversity and climate at CMU-Q Annette Vincent stressed the importance of community entities. She stressed that mentorship is just as valuable for younger professionals who are navigating their careers in higher education.
She added that the most important takeaway from this conference is the network being built, pointing out that Women in Leadership conference is a foundation for growth.
Vincent went on saying that CMU-Q openly talk about issues of diversity, inclusion and equity in a way that is thoughtful and constructive. This conference opens the door for discussion, cooperation, and exchange of experiences to the employees of Education City.
During the three-day conference, sessions took place to showcase thought leaders in Qatar and to build a network of women in higher education.
The discussions included several themes. On the first day, the discussion opened with the challenges that female academics face in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, particularly in the MENA region. The discussion continued on the topic of gender and diversity in higher education leadership.
The discussions then moved to the topic of championing female leaders, including the importance of male allyship. The final theme focused on taking action to support women as they pursue careers in higher education. (QNA)