Global ranking data shows a record share of top universities led by women: nearly 29% of the top 200 institutions now have female presidents or vice‑chancellors, rising from 17% in 2019. That incremental progress is notable at elite schools but uneven by country — China, for example, has no female leaders among its ranked institutions. Yet workplace analyses in Australia reveal persistent pay gaps: male university staff earn about 10% more on average than female colleagues, with men overrepresented in top pay quartiles. The juxtaposition of more women reaching presidencies while systemic pay and representation gaps remain highlights governance and compensation work still required by trustees and HR leaders to translate symbolic gains into broad equity across ranks.