TASHREE ” تشريع”: Towards Advancing and Securing Higher education legislation for the Representation of females in Executive leadership in Egypt
Funder
British Council, Going Global Partnerships
Project team
Associate Professor Rami Ayoubi (Principal Investigator)
Professor Marina Orsini-Jones (Co-Investigator)
Collaborators
Coventry University (Lead)
Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritimes (Co-Lead)
Duration
January 2025 - January 2026
Value to Coventry University
£15000
Project overview
The TASHREE project, which translates to "proposing legislation" in Arabic, is a transformative initiative designed to build on the foundational successes of its predecessors: TAMKEEN (empowering) and TASHBEEK (networking). These earlier projects, in collaboration between (CU) and (AASTMT), focused on empowering female academics and creating robust networks. As part of the British Council’s Going Global Partnerships, specifically targeting Gender Equality, TASHREE aims to transition from these foundational efforts to a crucial phase: developing evidence to propose legislative reforms to address the persistent under-representation of women in senior leadership roles within Egyptian higher education institutions. The initiative seeks to build on the empowerment and networking achievements of TAMKEEN and TASHBEEK by moving to the critical phase of legislative reform. The project’s goal is to identify legislative and policy gaps and propose strategies that will enhance female representation in senior academic leadership roles. By focusing on legal and policy frameworks, TASHREE aims to foster a more equitable and inclusive environment at the highest levels of academic administration in Egypt.
Project objectives
- Legislative and Policy Analysis: Identify and analyse existing legislative and policy gaps in Egypt that hinder women's advancement to executive leadership roles in higher education (in relation to activities 3 and 4)
- International Model Review: Examine successful international legislative models that have effectively increased female leadership in academia to draw applicable lessons for Egypt (in relation to activity 5)
- Development of Legislative Recommendations: Formulate comprehensive recommendations for policy reforms to enhance female representation in senior leadership positions (in relation to activity 6)
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with a wide range of stakeholders to gather insights and build support for the proposed legislative changes (in relation to activities 1, 4, 7, 10, and 12)
Impact statement
This initiative advances gender equity in Egyptian higher education by identifying legislative and policy gaps that hinder women’s leadership progression. By analysing international best practices, it draws lessons to inform policy reforms that enhance female representation in executive roles. Comprehensive legislative recommendations will be developed, ensuring actionable pathways for systemic change. Through strategic stakeholder engagement, the initiative fosters support for these reforms, driving institutional commitment and policy adoption. Ultimately, this project strengthens the foundations for a more inclusive and equitable higher education leadership landscape in Egypt.
Outputs
1. Ayoubi, R.M. Youssef, R. A. and Massoud, H. K. (2025), “New project tackles gender barriers at HE executive level”, University World News, 7 Feb 2025.
2. Ayoubi, R.M. Youssef, R. A. and Massoud, H. K. (2024), “Getting women into HE leadership calls for specific policies”, University World News, 20 January 2024.
