The effect of board gender diversity on financial and non-financial performance: evidence from Italian public universities

This article uses a multi-theoretical framework to explore the link between board gender diversity and overall university performance. Results evidence that higher levels of board gender diversity are conducive to better financial performance in the Italian university context. However, female directors must reach a critical mass. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that delves deep into the impact of board gender diversity on universities’ financial and nonfinancial performance.