While universities are ideally positioned to challenge societal status quos surrounding race, gender, nationality, and sexuality, they frequently end up replicating the very inequalities they ought to dismantle. This systemic failure is highly visible on a global scale. For instance, a recent study revealed that women make up only one-third of senior academic positions worldwide. This gender gap is particularly pronounced in the United States, where universities employ twice as many male professors as female professors. Colleen Makhubele spoke to Dr. Sally K. Ledwaba Academic Excellence Coordinator, Tshwane University of Technology and Prof Adrian Van Breda Professor of Social Work, University of Johannesburg.