The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated change in the higher education sector across the globe and has required huge efforts and commitments on the political, institutional and individual level. During this period higher education was considered, maybe more than ever, as an essential sector. Providing critical information and, contributing to the delivery of scientifically based solutions to help societies overcome this global crisis, universities also simultaneously maintained core educational activities to secure the academic future of the next student generation. This required a high level of innovation, adaptivity and creativity. The book is centred on three main themes linked to transformation and change in higher education: digitalisation, quality and trust. The transformative power of the pandemic has raised concerns and questions of each of them. Contributors are: Stephanie Albrecht, Tony Armstrong, Victoria Birmingham, Victor Borden, Bruno Broucker, Uwe Cantner, Helge Dauchert, Harry de Boer, Caterina Fox, Amanda French, Katharina Hoelzle, Gunnar Grepperud, Seonmi Jin, Ben Jongbloed, Alex Kendall, Cindy Konen, Rene Krempkow, Anne-Kristin Langner, Theodor Leiber, Oddlaug Marie Lindgaard, Silke Masson, Clare Milsom, Jessica Nooij, Mark O'Hara, Matt O'Leary, Pascale Stephanie Petri, Rosalind Pritchard, Christopher Stolz, Elisabeth Suzen, Sara-I. Tager, Daniel Thiemann, Lieke van Berlo, Lotte J. van Dijk, Katy Vigurs, Tilo Wendler, and Tamara Zajontz.

Women leaders and the COVID-19 pandemic are currently trending in the news. Major news outlets are all offering their positive opinions on how world-wide women leaders have addressed the crisis and reassured their people. While this sort of press coverage is certainly uplifting, little to no research has been conducted to investigate the effectiveness of women's leadership decisions and strategies in these difficult times. In concert with these global struggles resulting from the pandemic are the challenges faced by higher education. Many colleges and universities have all but shuttered their doors and are conducting instruction, student support, and day-to-day business almost completely online. Women academic leaders bear a great load during global crises, with the combination of maintaining work responsibilities and caring for families and personal households. It is shown that women leaders may feel overwhelmed but remain heroes in unprecedented times of crisis. Women and Leadership in Higher Education During Global Crises informs readers and expands their understanding about specific challenges, issues, strategies, and solutions that are associated with women leaders in higher education, the implications during the current pandemic and other natural disasters, and how these strategies can be used for future agility and success. The chapters will cover narratives, strategies, and initiatives that women leaders are using to lead their institutions, departments, sectors, and organizations. It ties together the unimaginable challenges, joys, struggles, and successes encountered by women in leadership in higher education and is ideal for higher education administrators, teachers, leaders, faculty, provosts, deans, program leaders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in both the challenges and successes women leaders in higher education face during global crises.