According to a study by Ward & Eddie (2013), professional women hold themselves back in their careers by failing to grab opportunities. Women in academe perceive academic progress, promotion and leadership as advanced positions that would bar them from having time with their families as well as life beyond work. A study by Hall (1993) questions whether professional women have appropriate orientation to fulfil the masculine role of being a leader. Hence Cooper (1992) in his study confirms that males tend to doubt the ability of women to successfully hold senior positions. Some women anticipate some challenges in leadership positions and as a result, they dread taking up these positions. Goal no.3 of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals compels countries to promote gender equity and to empower women (UN 2010). This study seeks to find out the lived experiences of women leaders in selected higher education institutions in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research design will be performed since the researchers need to tape the experiences of women leaders in the Higher Education arena: A purposive sample of eight women leaders will be drawn from a population of women leaders from the selected higher education institutions. The findings would help to highlight corrective measures which can be taken to encourage and promote women leaders in Higher Education settings. More so other areas of research may emerge that would enhance development of women leaders in the field of Higher Education.
