Empowering women leaders across the Asia Pacific

Four female leaders in higher education share their insights on women leadership development.

At the APAIE 2026 Conference and Exhibition, four inspiring academic women leaders shared how mentorship empowered them and how they are helping others reach their dreams.

The panel session ‘Asia-Pacific Partnerships in Mentoring Aspiring Women Leaders’ brought together Prof. Mai Har Sham, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), CUHK; Prof. Cindy Fan, Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement, University of California, Los Angeles; Prof. Joanna Regulska, Vice Provost and Dean of Global Affairs, University of California, Davis; and Prof. Yvonne Lim, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Universiti Malaya. Through candid reflections and rich cross-cultural insights, the speakers explored how mentorship initiatives can drive progress toward gender equity and inclusive leadership across the Asia-Pacific region.

Representing CUHK, Prof. Sham shared her experiences as a researcher, educator, and administrator, and how these roles have shaped her approach to leadership. She also shared how mentorship can empower women across borders and cultivated a more inclusive leadership landscape in academia.

Such dialogues are vital in paving the way toward a future where higher education is genuinely gender-balanced, inclusive, and empowering for all.

Prof. Mai Har Sham highlights the empowering role of mentorship in advancing women’s leadership in academia.