Exploring the Challenges and Strategies of the Sustainable Development of Female Teachers in China’s World-Class Universities: Stakeholder Perspectives

The sustainable development of female university teachers in China faces a range of societal and workplace challenges, especially since the advent of China’s ‘Universal Three-Child Policy’. We applied ‘ecofeminism’ and ‘intersectionality’ perspectives to investigate the role of conflict and endogenous/exogenous environmental culture pressure on the sustainable development of female teachers in world-class Chinese universities. Semi-structured qualitative interviews took place with 28 female teachers in 6 Chinese universities and colleges. The findings indicated that individuals experience deep role conflicts and stereotypes of traditional society. The inherent thinking and behavior patterns brought about through the socialization of female teachers make it difficult for them to achieve self-identity in their professional development. Female teachers should strengthen their subjective consciousness rather than be consumed by multiple identities and role conflicts. Universities and colleges have a duty to protect women’s reproductive rights and prevent gender discrimination linked to these rights. Cultural identification should be promoted and embedded culturally-based gender bias must be avoided to promote gender equality and a change in customs.