Title: Assessing the role of the pandemic on workload of female assistant professors in higher education

Authors: Rizwana Rafiq; Shakeel Basheer; Mir Insha Farooq; Viana Hassan

Addresses: Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, India ' Lovely Professional University, Chaheru, Phagwara, Punjab, India ' Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, India ' University of Malta, Tal-Qroqq, Msida, Malta

Abstract: This study explores how the COVID-19 pandemic intensified gender disparities in academia, particularly for female assistant professors who are also mothers. Through qualitative and quantitative methods, and using non-probability and snowball sampling, it examines workload changes, teaching adaptations, and reliance on institutional support. Data on work hours before and during the pandemic highlight increased domestic responsibilities, childcare, and eldercare, which disproportionately affected these women. The shift to remote work further blurred work-life boundaries, amplifying stress and workload. Findings reveal a significant gender imbalance in household duties, impacting career progression. The study emphasises the urgent need for higher education institutions to implement flexible and supportive policies that promote gender equity and mitigate the long-term effects of such crises on female faculty.

Keywords: work-hours; female assistant professor mothers; higher education; COVID-19 pandemic.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2026.151707

International Journal of Management in Education, 2026 Vol.20 No.2, pp.220 - 237

Received: 03 Jun 2024
Accepted: 17 Oct 2024
Published online: 16 Feb 2026 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article