Good leadership in higher education hasn’t ever mattered greater than now, with increases in tuition fees, concerns over international recruitment, widening access pressures, to not forget the challenges of competing in a globalised research and teaching market. Can we really know enough about what makes an amazing leader inside the higher education sector
According to a up to date report commissioned by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education and written by Jacky Lumby, professor on the University of Southampton, we do not, mainly because we’re taking a look at the role of leadership through a narrow lens. Will we need broader definitions of educational and administrative functions within a university
Many academics have come into higher education due to their “passion for his or her subject” in place of the concept of turning into a manager, says Newcastle’s leadership development manager Lynne Howlett, but they “can’t ignore” the significance of leadership succession.
As the management of universities grows ever more complex, what do we do to encourage those academics who do have leadership aspirations What’s more, how can the field help challenge the notional divide between academia and administration that always characterises debate and development on this area.
According to Abhinay Muthooa, head of the dep. of economics on the University of Warwick, “a school leader must be an instructional to realize the honor of the school she or he leads and to totally understand on the ground level the character of the university’s core intellectual functions.” Mutually, he adds, “a school leader should be an entrepreneur, ready to make the bold business decisions demanded and to grab the initiative where required.”
With higher education being redefined in lots of ways, it’s becoming increasingly important for universities to discover multi-faceted leaders to satisfy the various challenges of a changing sector.
What are the opportunities, challenges and structures for aspiring and emerging leaders in higher education Join us for our live chat on Friday 1 February from 12-2pm to talk about career progression, training, and the way we will develop the kind of leaders academia and the broader higher education sector needs.
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