The Women Leaders in Higher Education (WLHE) Summit 2025 Organising Committee is pleased to invite full manuscript submissions for a Special Edition of the Journal of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (JSADTU), featuring selected papers from WLHE 2025 and contributions from leaders, emerging leaders, and scholars across the basic and higher education sectors.

This special edition is anchored in the 2025 Women Leaders in Higher Education (WLHE) Summit theme and centres on how women are sustaining leadership excellence while actively shaping the future of higher education. It invites scholarly, policy-oriented, and practice-based contributions that examine women’s leadership across academic, institutional, and system levels, with attention to long-term impact, resilience, and sustainability.

Contributions are encouraged to explore how women leaders navigate complexity, drive innovation, advance equity and inclusion, and foster institutional cultures that support wellbeing, health, and ethical practice. The special edition also welcomes critical engagement with digital transformation and artificial intelligence as strategic tools for enhancing leadership effectiveness, governance, teaching, research, and societal impact across higher and interconnected education sectors

Important Dates (2026)

• Call for full manuscripts: 20 February 2026
• Manuscript submission deadline: 20 March 2026
• Publication of special edition: 24 April 2026

Scope and Topics

Submissions may be conceptual, empirical, reflective, or practice-oriented, and may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Women’s leadership and governance in higher education
• Innovation and transformation in teaching, learning, and research
• Equity, inclusion, and social justice in education systems
• Health, wellness, and wellbeing of women leaders and academics
• Digital transformation, AI, and ethical leadership in education
• Leadership pipelines for emerging women leaders
• Policy, funding, and institutional cultures shaping women’s advancement
• Intersections between basic and higher education leadership

 Eligibility

Submissions are invited from:

• WLHE 2025 presenters
• Leaders and emerging leaders in higher education
• Researchers and practitioners in basic and higher education
• Postgraduate students with strong scholarly contributions
• Manuscripts must be original and not under consideration or previously published elsewhere.

 Manuscript Preparation Guidelines (Summary)

• Length: 6,000–7,000 words inclusive of references, tables, and figures
• Format: Microsoft Word (DOC or DOCX)
• Font and spacing: Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing
• Language: British English (UK)
• Abstract: 150–200 words
• Keywords: 5–7 keywords
• Referencing style: APA 7th edition
• Recent sources: Emphasis on literature published within the last five years
• Tables and figures: Embedded at first mention, clearly labelled and captioned
• Ethics: Ethical clearance, informed consent, and confidentiality must be clearly stated where applicable
• Conflict of interest: A clear declaration must be included

Authors are encouraged to consult the full JSADTU Author Submission Guidelines for detailed instructions.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper, DALL·E) must be transparent and ethical. AI tools may not be listed as authors. Any use of AI in drafting, editing, or generating content must be clearly acknowledged in the manuscript, and authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work.

Submission Process

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically via the JSADTU online submission system: https://jsadtu.com/author-submission-guidelines

Please submit the article to the section titled Special Edition 2026:Theme: Sustaining Leadership
Excellence: Women Shaping the Future of Higher Education

Authors who do not yet have an account are required to register and complete their profile before
submission. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all submission requirements are
met.

Article Processing Charge (APC): R5,500 (South African Rands)

An Article Processing Charge (APC) of R5,500 will be charged for all manuscripts accepted for
publication in this issue. Kindly note that authors will not be charged for submitting their papers. The
APC is payable only after a manuscript has been accepted for publication.

Peer Review and Publication

All submissions will undergo the standard JSADTU peer review process. The average timeline from submission to publication is approximately three months.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dr. Malau David Matsepe
editor@jsadtu.org.za

GUEST EDITOR

Professor Beatrice Olutoyin Opeolu
Women Leaders in Higher Education (WLHE) Summit 2025