Presentation Schedule
The WISE Cycle: A Framework for Women’s Leadership and Life Navigation in Higher Education (100915)
Session Chair: María Cruz Cuevas Álvarez
This presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom (Online Access)
Monday, 9 February 2026 13:45
Session: Session 2
Room: Live-Stream Room 1
Presentation Type: Live-Stream Presentation
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Women in higher education continue to encounter systemic barriers to leadership, from underrepresentation in senior roles to navigating gendered expectations and work–life tensions. This paper introduces the WISE Cycle—a theoretical framework designed to support women in leading both their professional and personal lives with intentionality and resilience. The WISE Cycle comprises four interdependent dimensions: Well-being, Influence, Self-awareness, and Empowerment. Grounded in Emotional Intelligence, Goal-Setting Theory, Transformational Leadership, Resilience Theory, and Intersectional Feminist Theory, the cycle positions leadership as an ongoing, holistic process. The model begins with Well-being, emphasizing self-care and balance as the foundation for sustainable leadership. This supports Influence, where women leverage their positions to inspire change, mentor others, and advocate for equity. Influence, in turn, fosters Self-awareness, as leaders reflect on identity, values, and leadership style within academic contexts. Self-awareness fuels Empowerment, building the confidence and agency needed to make purposeful decisions and challenge institutional norms. Empowerment loops back to Well-being, sustaining the cycle and promoting long-term leadership effectiveness. This session will present the conceptual grounding of the WISE Cycle, illustrate its application in leadership development programs, and explore its potential to foster a new generation of women leaders who thrive personally while transforming Higher Education.
Authors:
Doaa Hamam, Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates
About the Presenter(s)
Dr Doaa Hamam is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Higher Colleges of Technology in United Arab Emirates
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