Breaking barriers: exploring gender and sector disparities in professional development and career advancement

Abstract

The study examines the differences in professional development and career progression between men and women in Pakistan's academic field. We selected 150 participants for our study, and 90 of them were female, while the other 60 were male. We relied on descriptive statistics and t-tests to evaluate the number of people participating in PD in the public versus the private sector. Although PD was involved in a similar manner across both sectors, women were significantly less likely to be involved in private institutions. There was a significantly greater proportion of male faculty involved in professional development (PD) than women. People from private institutions were more optimistic about the chances for career advancement. The results show that the differences primarily arise from institutional practices and sociocultural factors. The analysis highlights how faculty development is influenced by the institution's systems and cultural norms. They make it clear that policies should include gender issues and actions to give equal opportunities for professional development and promote inclusive career growth in universities everywhere.