Women’s leadership development in agricultural research: an empirical study in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

The world has witnessed many social changes in recent decades, one of the most significant being the progress in women’s education. Nonetheless, women continue to encounter barriers to acquiring leadership roles. This study aims to examine the perceptions of women in agricultural research regarding how women’s leadership development programmes (WLDPs) can impact their career-advancement potential, as well as the barriers in this regard. In this case study, we used data from women researchers who participated in a WDLP – the Meryl Williams Fellowship. The participants of this study were researchers working in agricultural research institutions in Southeast Asian and Pacific countries. Our findings suggest that the participants perceived significant improvements in their self-confidence, self-awareness, professional network, and professional visibility, and we also observed a ‘spill-over effect’ within their institutions, as they sought to spread their learnings to colleagues.