INTERNATIONALLY-known for her work on leadership, Prof Michelle Ryan has been appointed to head a new ANU institute dedicated to addressing the under-representation of women in leadership positions across the world.

As the inaugural director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL) from July 1, Ms Ryan will help breakdown the barriers hindering women’s careers across the Asia-Pacific.

It’ll be am extension of the work she’s already done in the area, such as the time she famously uncovered the concept – “glass cliff”, which was shortlisted as the Oxford Dictionary’s “word of the year” in 2016 and describes how women in business and politics are often put in leadership roles that are more risky or precarious or during times of crisis when the chances of failure are highest.  

And while she says there’s been significant gains in women’s leadership over the past few decades, “sadly there is much more to do”.

Founded and chaired by former prime minister Julia Gillard, GIWL, the first sister institute of the London-based GIWL, aims to create a world where being a woman is not a barrier to becoming a leader in any field.  

The institute brings together research, practice and advocacy to better understand and address the causes of women’s under-representation in leadership positions across sectors and countries, and the way gender negatively impacts the evaluation of women leaders.  

Ms Ryan, who graduated from ANU with undergraduate and PhD qualifications, has spent the last 17 years in the UK and will continue as a part-time professor of social and organisational psychology at the University of Exeter, before moving back here in July. 

“I am very excited to be returning to ANU after almost 20 years working in Europe,” she says. 

“Women leaders all over the globe have proven to be effective, inspirational and incredibly capable. The impediments women face are still too great in number and size. We need to keep working hard to change that and improve outcomes.  

“I’m looking forward to working to bring together world-leading academics with policymakers, activists, and businesses keen to close the gender gap in leadership.” 

Speaking on Ms Ryan’s appointment, Ms Gillard says: “Progress on gender equality is slow and in some places it’s reversing.  

“Evidence shows the impact of the covid pandemic over the past 12 months has compounded  many of the pre-existing barriers women face in building careers and entering leadership roles.  

“Michelle brings incredible experience and energy to the role and I’m looking forward to working  with her to address these urgent challenges and expand the reach of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership across the Asia-Pacific region.”