Workplace information practices in research capacity building among female academics: Developing a conceptual framework

Abstract

This study examines the role of information practices in shaping research capacity building (RCB) among female academics in highly segregated higher education environments, with a focus on the Middle East. Building on the workplace information practices (WIP) framework as a theoretical lens, the study investigates the challenges and opportunities that influence female academics’ trajectories and identifies strategies to enhance equality of opportunity and research outcomes. The study draws on semi-structured interviews with 57 female academics across four groups: those studying overseas, those returning from overseas study, those studying locally and those employed in research departments. The findings reveal three interrelated categories of challenge: cultural (primarily gender discrimination), social (notably family responsibilities) and academic (including limited language competence, research skills and information literacy). Interviewees also identified opportunities at individual, professional and institutional levels that strengthen RCB, including targeted research training, enhanced facilities, reduced workloads and knowledge transfer informed by international best practices. This study makes two key contributions. First, it extends the WIP framework by incorporating the specific dynamics of gender segregation and cultural constraints, offering a contextualised understanding of information practices in marginalised academic communities. Second, it develops a new, empirically grounded information practices framework tailored to the Saudi higher education context. By foregrounding the lived experiences of female academics, the study provides original insights into the intersection of gender, culture and institutional structures, offering a practical and theoretical model for advancing research capacity and enabling gender equity in higher education.