This study examines students' perceptions of gender equity initiatives in Bangladesh's tertiary education, with a focus on science, business and vocational or technical fields.
This research employs an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, combining qualitative insights from open-ended surveys (n = 312) with a quantitative questionnaire (n = 427) to assess support for 13 student-proposed initiatives. Braun and Clarke (2006) guided the qualitative thematic analysis, which identified key concepts, while the quantitative analysis employed chi-square tests and Pearson's R correlations to uncover field-specific trends.
Findings reveals a strong consensus for pedagogical reforms, such as instructor training (71.3% agreement) and inclusive classrooms (71.8%), with vocational students showing hesitance toward cultural initiatives (e.g., 38.5% for cultural events). High neutrality in areas such as mixed-gender sports (39.8%) indicates cultural barriers, highlighting the need for targeted awareness campaigns.
This study's limitations include urban sampling bias and potential cultural deference that may affect neutral responses, suggesting the need for broader geographic and cultural analysis in future research.
This study offers evidence-based policy recommendations to foster inclusive academic environments, thereby contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) for gender equality.
