Mapping the Landscape of Women Leadership in Academia: A Bibliometric Analysis of Scopus Indexed Literature

women, women leaders, leadership, academic leadership, gender, higher education

This study analyses the trends in women's leadership in administrative roles within higher education by examining the bibliographic records obtained from the Scopus database for the period 2010 to 2025. The data search generates a total of 288 papers pertinent to the subject to elucidate the evolution of the area. Bibliometric tools and techniques were employed to analyze the publication trends, influential authors, leading journals, leading institutions, countries’ contributions, emerging thematic areas and citation analysis along with keyword co-occurrence analysis within the domain of women’s leadership in academia. The findings reveal a significant growth in scholarly output, particularly after 2018, indicating increasing global attention toward gender inclusivity and leadership for women leaders in academia. This study shows that despite an increment in the participation of women in administrative roles in academia over recent decades, the gender differences in academic leadership responsibilities within these institutions exist consistently. Obstacles hinder women's access to these roles due to workplace culture and individual factors. The examination demonstrates the significance of the field in the contemporary environment of academia.  Despite growing research interest, gaps remain in region- specific studies and empirical investigations in developing countries. This study makes a significant output to the extant literature by offering a systematic overview of the evolution and intellectual structure of women leadership status in academia. This paper outlines solutions to bridge the gap of barriers to women leaders and establish pathways for women in academia, strongly advocating for their promotion and empowerment to promote social equality and justice. It provides significant contribution for researchers, policymakers, and professionals to promote inclusive leadership and gender equality in academic institutions.