About the Programme
Developing Opportunities for Women’s Initiatives and Resilience in Academia (DOWIRA) is a leadership development programme that strengthens women’s leadership to enhance institutional capacity across universities in Ukraine.
Designed and delivered in partnership with Advance HE, DOWIRA combines international expertise in leadership development and gender equity with Ukrainian experience and practice. The programme is fully contextualised to the realities of Ukrainian higher education, with delivery shared between international and Ukrainian experts.
Designed and delivered in partnership with Advance HE, DOWIRA combines international expertise in leadership development and gender equity with Ukrainian experience and practice. The programme is fully contextualised to the realities of Ukrainian higher education, with delivery shared between international and Ukrainian experts.
Programme Objectives
DOWIRA aims to:
- To strengthen women’s leadership to enhance institutional capacity of universities in Ukraine.
- Support women leaders to influence decision-making, organisational culture and institutional transformation.
- Contribute to gender parity within higher education institutions.
Why This Programme Matters
Ukraine’s higher education sector is navigating a period of profound challenge and transformation. Universities require leaders who can guide institutions through uncertainty, strengthen resilience and support long-term development.
Women contribute significantly to Ukrainian higher education but remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles, including positions such as rectors, vice-rectors, and deans. Meanwhile, wartime realities have convincingly demonstrated women’s leadership, adaptability and capacity to lead through crisis and change.
DOWIRA supports women leaders who are already contributing to the sector and enhancing their leadership influence within their institutions and beyond.
Programme Approach
DOWIRA combines leadership development, mentoring, action learning, cross-institutional networking and institutional project delivery.
Participants apply learning directly within their universities through strategic projects focused on gender equality and institutional development.
The programme also creates a national network of women leaders committed to strengthening higher education in Ukraine and supporting one another through peer learning and collaboration.
Programme Structure
DOWIRA offers two interconnected leadership pathways that support women at different leadership stages and levels of responsibility within higher education.
- DOWIRA Lead – for senior women leaders driving institutional strategy and change (vice-rectors).
- DOWIRA Rise – for emerging and mid-career women leaders within institution (deans, department heads/chairs, deputy heads).
DOWIRA Lead participants develop and initiate strategic institutional projects and later mentor DOWIRA Rise teams from their universities. Together, they implement projects focused on gender equality policy and institutional practice.
⚠️ Applications are currently open for DOWIRA Lead only. DOWIRA Rise participants are nominated by DOWIRA Lead during the programme.
DOWIRA Lead
For senior women leaders driving institutional strategy and strategic decision-making
Target audience: vice-rectors
Cohort: 20 participants from 20 universities
Key components
- Executive leadership and institutional strategy
- Governance, finance and organisational resilience
- Strategic communication and partnership development
- Mentorship and sponsorship development
- Facilitated discussions and action learning sets
- Cross-institutional networking
- Design and initiation of strategic institutional projects focused on gender equality policy and practice
- Mentoring DOWIRA Rise team
DOWIRA Rise
For emerging and mid-career women leaders who are developing their leadership practice and preparing for more senior leadership roles
Target audience: deans, department heads/chairs, deputy heads
Cohort: teams of four participants from 20 participating universities (80 participants overall)
DOWIRA Rise teams are nominated by DOWIRA Lead participants from within their institutions based on project relevance, leadership potential and institutional priorities.
Key components
- Leadership and institutional change
- Strategy, people management and communication
- Development of leadership, influence and decision-making capabilities
- Mentoring by DOWIRA Lead participants
- Action learning and peer collaboration
- Cross-institutional networking
- Development and delivery of strategic institutional projects