Effect of Western Culture on Women in Saudi Arabian Leadership Positions and Their Contribution Towards the Vision 2030 Agenda

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of Western education and acculturation on Saudi women in the context of Vision 2030, with an emphasis on their careers and leadership positions in higher learning institutions. Employing qualitative interviews, the research obtains first-hand narratives from Saudi women who received education abroad and currently occupy leadership positions in universities. It further explores the struggles the women encounter in their daily lives and as part of their professions via themes such as culture, gender, and the institutional setting; at the same time, it discusses the positive impact of Western education in offering various career prospects as well as bringing about social change. The work also compares and contrasts Saudi and Western cultures of education and other cultures of education and how these impact women's careers and their role in Vision 2030. The study has implications for education and culture in relation to the roles of women in Saudi Arabia, and it informs the existing debates on women's rights and policies in KSA.