We have received an announcement from the British Council regarding their upcoming seminar series: “Exploring Gender Equity in Higher Education and Research Leadership – An International Perspective”.
In this series – delivered in collaboration with Advance HE from the UK – participants will explore career development, leadership, gender equity, and inclusive research environments as they relate to women researchers. Drawing on international perspectives, the sessions will consider the challenges and opportunities for higher education in Japan.
The first session (13 July) will feature Professor Naomi Harada (University of Tokyo), who served as the first woman leader of a Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition and has played a leading role in the research community; Professor Shoko Nabeyama (Yamaguchi University), who has been actively engaged in promoting gender equity and diversity through both university leadership and the Japan Association of National Universities; and Naima Iftikhar (Western Sydney University), whose work focuses on leadership development and inclusive educational practice in higher education. Together, they will explore gender equity and women’s leadership from both Japanese and international perspectives.
We warmly encourage applications from Early Career Researchers (ECRs), emerging leaders in higher education and research, and anyone with an interest in gender equity, leadership, and inclusive research environments.
For full details of the seminar series, please visit the British Council website.
Participation in all four sessions is encouraged but not required.
■Dates: 13 July (Mon), 17 July (Fri), 23 July (Thu), and 29 July (Wed) 2026
■Time: 12:00–14:00 JST (all sessions)
■Venue: Online (Zoom)
■Fee: Free
■Language: English and Japanese (simultaneous interpretation provided)
■Key Themes
Gender equity and women’s leadership
What is leadership?
Building inclusive research environments
Problem-solving and Action Learning
Participants are asked to register in advance here.