DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2018.v07i01.003

Pages: 16-23

This research paper outlines the factors influencing promotion and administrative appointments of academic staff in public universities in Kenya. During the last two decades, African higher education has witnessed an increase in student enrolments. To ensure adequate staffing, more teachers have been recruited. Similarly, there has been an increase in the number of administrative and managerial personnel at the same level. The number of women in higher education has remained low as women’s participation in activities outside the home has widened in scope, especially in the world of organized and paid labour. Research was necessary to investigate some of the factors that may have contributed to gender imbalances among the academic staff in teaching and administration, and reduced promotion prospects for women. This study adopted descriptive research design which employed oral interviews and documentary (content) analysis. The participants were drawn from two public universities: the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University. Sampling included determining the area to be covered by the study and selecting the respondents. The study gives suggestions and some steps that could be taken to ameliorate the low number of women in administrative appointments of academic staff in public universities in Kenya.