Year: 2026 | Month: May | Volume: 13 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 311-320
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260526
Digital Competence and Career Progression of Female Academics in Universities in Rivers State
Patience Ogechi Owen-Amadi
Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State – Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Patience Ogechi Owen-Amadi
ABSTRACT
The study investigated digital competence and career progression of female academics in universities in Rivers State. Three research questions were answered and three hypotheses tested in the study. The study adopted a correlation survey design targeting all 1,806 female lecturers in Rivers State’s three public universities. A stratified random sample of 327 lecturers was selected, with 317 valid responses collected via two structured questionnaires: the “Digital Competence Questionnaire” (15 items) and the “Career Progression Questionnaire” (10 items), using a four-point Likert scale. Instruments were validated by three Measurement and Evaluation experts and demonstrated high reliability (DCQ = 0.88, CPQ = 0.81). Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and t-tests associated with simple regression at a 0.05 significance level. Digital literacy showed a moderate positive correlation with career progression (r = 0.447), digital communication a strong positive correlation (r = 0.676), and digital creativity a very strong positive correlation (r = 0.855). Hypothesis testing confirmed that all relationships were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The results indicate that while foundational digital skills support professional growth, digital communication facilitates visibility and networking, and digital creativity most powerfully predicts career advancement through innovative teaching, research output, and leadership attainment. It was concluded that digital competencies significantly influence female academics’ career progression, with creativity being the most decisive factor. The study recommended that universities should provide targeted digital skills training, mentorship, and resources to enhance female lecturers’ digital creativity, communication, and literacy, thereby promoting equitable academic advancement.
Keywords: Digital Competence, Career Progression, Females, Lecturers, Universities
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