Leadership in Higher Education — Its Evolution and Potential

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan L. Smith ◽  
Aaron W. Hughey
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Academic Leadership ◽  
Student Affairs Administration ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Academic World ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
Leadership In Higher Education

Leadership is a key ingredient in the ultimate success or failure of any organization. In this article the authors review the research on leadership in general and then focus on how leadership in the academic world is similar to, yet distinct from, leadership in the private sector. Included in this discussion are a description of how leadership in colleges and universities has evolved, the characteristics that are unique to higher education together with their implications for effective leadership, and consideration of the immense challenges academic leaders face as they attempt to keep higher education responsive to the needs of business and industry. The authors also address the emergence of student affairs administration and the current crisis in academic leadership.

scholarly journals The role of leadership in promoting and supporting the Basic English curriculum design and delivery at two Vietnamese universities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thuy Thi Bich Tran
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Academic Leadership ◽  
Senior Leaders ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
Leadership In Higher Education ◽  
Basic English

<p>The purpose of this research study was to explore the role of leadership in supporting the Basic English curriculum design and delivery at two selected Vietnamese non-language major universities specialising in Finance and Accounting. Studies on academic leadership and distributed leadership in higher education are well documented in Western literature (Bolden, Gosling, O’Brien, Peters and Haslam, 2012; Bryman, 2007; Cardno, 2012); however leadership in higher education is largely under-researched in developing countries like Vietnam. Moreover, curriculum design impacts on the wellbeing and effectiveness of higher education (Barnett & Coate, 2005). Leadership is necessary to effect change (Oliver & Huyn, 2010) and therefore potentially to impact on curriculum design and delivery. The role of leadership in making the Basic English curriculum more relevant for graduate students and ensuring that they are better prepared for the workplace is of particular interest in the Vietnamese university context.  This qualitatively-focused case study design, with a small quantitative component, guided by an interpretivist/ constructivist theoretical framework aimed to explore how academic leaders promote the Basic English curriculum design and delivery in the Vietnamese university context. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews with senior academic leaders and company directors, focus group interviews with English as a foreign language (EFL) lecturers, observations of a curriculum meeting, and an online survey by graduates from the two selected universities. The study employed thematic data analysis techniques. Research shows that the curriculum framework in Vietnamese universities promulgated by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) results in heavy workloads for academic staff (Gropello, Thomas, Yemenez, Chchibber, & Adams, 2008; Van, 2011). This negatively affects their wellbeing and may reduce their effectiveness as teachers and researchers.  The findings from the study provided evidence that leadership practices in Vietnam were influenced by Confucian values. It also showed that the personal barriers academic leaders and EFL lecturers face vary according to gender. However, academic leadership in Vietnamese higher education contexts in this study reveals a mixture of distributed and collaborative leadership in curriculum design and delivery which can provide insights for other Vietnamese universities. It also revealed that senior leaders and EFL lecturers appear to work collaboratively to solve the issue of curriculum design and delivery.  The findings have implications for policy development and practice. Suggestions made by employers and graduates to institutional leaders, curriculum developers and lecturers are to consider redesigning the curriculum to have a more communicative focus and more oral practice to ensure graduates are better prepared for work. The study has brought insights for senior leaders on how to create successful collaboration with their colleagues and partners in curriculum design and renewal and provided guidance on the enhancement of educational leadership practices in the two chosen universities. The results of this study have contributed to closing the current gaps in understanding how leadership at all levels in higher education impact on curriculum design and delivery. This study will be useful not only in the Vietnamese context but also in other countries where English is taught as a second or foreign language.</p>

Leadership in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 137-150
Author(s):  
Ülkühan Bike Esen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Academic Leadership ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
Academic Environments ◽  
Leadership In Higher Education ◽  
Success In Higher Education

The undeniable effect of education on economic development has also increased the importance of the success in higher education. The success of a higher education institution depends not only on the success of the academics it has, but also its leaders. These leaders in higher education institutions are referred as “academic leaders.”.Academic leaders are leaders who motivate academics in universities, faculties, or departments and provide challenging opportunities as well as creating appropriate academic environments for academics to improve themselves. Academic leaders have more responsibilities than business leaders. Because their success or failure affects not only a business but also the whole society, this broad influence of academic leaders requires further examination of the issue. This requirement is the basis of this chapter. The aim of this chapter is firstly to define academic leadership and then to emphasize the strategies that can be applied to the success of academic leadership.

scholarly journals The role of leadership in promoting and supporting the Basic English curriculum design and delivery at two Vietnamese universities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thuy Thi Bich Tran
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Academic Leadership ◽  
Senior Leaders ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
Leadership In Higher Education ◽  
Basic English

<p>The purpose of this research study was to explore the role of leadership in supporting the Basic English curriculum design and delivery at two selected Vietnamese non-language major universities specialising in Finance and Accounting. Studies on academic leadership and distributed leadership in higher education are well documented in Western literature (Bolden, Gosling, O’Brien, Peters and Haslam, 2012; Bryman, 2007; Cardno, 2012); however leadership in higher education is largely under-researched in developing countries like Vietnam. Moreover, curriculum design impacts on the wellbeing and effectiveness of higher education (Barnett & Coate, 2005). Leadership is necessary to effect change (Oliver & Huyn, 2010) and therefore potentially to impact on curriculum design and delivery. The role of leadership in making the Basic English curriculum more relevant for graduate students and ensuring that they are better prepared for the workplace is of particular interest in the Vietnamese university context.  This qualitatively-focused case study design, with a small quantitative component, guided by an interpretivist/ constructivist theoretical framework aimed to explore how academic leaders promote the Basic English curriculum design and delivery in the Vietnamese university context. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews with senior academic leaders and company directors, focus group interviews with English as a foreign language (EFL) lecturers, observations of a curriculum meeting, and an online survey by graduates from the two selected universities. The study employed thematic data analysis techniques. Research shows that the curriculum framework in Vietnamese universities promulgated by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) results in heavy workloads for academic staff (Gropello, Thomas, Yemenez, Chchibber, & Adams, 2008; Van, 2011). This negatively affects their wellbeing and may reduce their effectiveness as teachers and researchers.  The findings from the study provided evidence that leadership practices in Vietnam were influenced by Confucian values. It also showed that the personal barriers academic leaders and EFL lecturers face vary according to gender. However, academic leadership in Vietnamese higher education contexts in this study reveals a mixture of distributed and collaborative leadership in curriculum design and delivery which can provide insights for other Vietnamese universities. It also revealed that senior leaders and EFL lecturers appear to work collaboratively to solve the issue of curriculum design and delivery.  The findings have implications for policy development and practice. Suggestions made by employers and graduates to institutional leaders, curriculum developers and lecturers are to consider redesigning the curriculum to have a more communicative focus and more oral practice to ensure graduates are better prepared for work. The study has brought insights for senior leaders on how to create successful collaboration with their colleagues and partners in curriculum design and renewal and provided guidance on the enhancement of educational leadership practices in the two chosen universities. The results of this study have contributed to closing the current gaps in understanding how leadership at all levels in higher education impact on curriculum design and delivery. This study will be useful not only in the Vietnamese context but also in other countries where English is taught as a second or foreign language.</p>

Transcollegial leadership: a new paradigm for leadership

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70
Author(s):  
David J. Burns ◽  
Debra Mooney
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Alternative Form ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership In Higher Education ◽  
Education Today ◽  
Individual Self

Purpose The increasing complexity of higher education has led to the need for a different type of leader that transcends traditional boundaries and individual self-interest. The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative form of leadership consistent with the unique challenges faced by institutions of higher education today. Design/methodology/approach First, existing research on leadership is explored. Particular attention is placed on identifying the applicability of the primary leadership approaches to the unique organizational environment typically found in institutions of higher education. Transcollegial leadership is then developed as an alternative form of leadership better suited to colleges and universities in today’s dynamic environment. Findings After examining the inadequacies of existing forms of leadership in higher education, transcollegial leadership is introduced as the process involved in leaders systematically, but informally, relating to persons and groups of equivalent authority in different areas of an institution of higher education for its betterment and the advancement of its mission, not for person gain. Practical implications It appears that transcollegial leadership may be specifically suited for institutions of higher education given their unique organizational structure. Transcollegial leadership permits colleges and universities to better utilize the skills and expertise of their members. The skills and expertise of transcollegial leaders not only benefit their home organizational units, but can benefit the entire organization. Originality/value The paper examines a different approach to leadership to aid colleges and universities in facing the challenges of a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive environment.

scholarly journals Study on Academic Leadership for Effective Governance in HEIs

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (S1-Feb) ◽  
pp. 218-224
Author(s):  
Hemakumar G
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Institutional Development ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Academic Leadership ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
Academic Field ◽  
Effective Governance ◽  
Teaching Learning

This paper made a study on academic leadership and found that leadership in academic field poses problems that are noticeably different than leadership in government agencies and companies.Paper absorbed that academic leaders need to work closely with teaching, learning, research, and scholarship to bring out the best among academics. A literature survey is done on academic leadership in higher education (HE) and issues on freedom of academic, which shows the great importance and relevance in this context. The paper discusses the University Governance Architecture and New Education Policy (NEP) for leadership and effective governance in HEIs, Academic Leadership, and selection of administrators according to NEP-2020. Paper discussed Transforming Regulatory System of HE in NEP-2020, Financing HEIs through the new body called HEGC (Higher Education Grants Council), General Education Council, PSSB (Professional Standard-Setting Bodies) designed in NEP-2020, and the Institutional Development Planning.

Demonstrating Equitable and Inclusive Crisis Leadership in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Jared A. Russell ◽  
Leslie D. Gonzales ◽  
Harald Barkhoff
Keyword(s):  
Academic Leadership ◽  
Crisis Leadership ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
Academic Workplace ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Leadership In Higher Education ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Inclusive Excellence ◽  
Academic Units ◽  
Systemic Violence

Academic leadership faces tremendous pressure to build sustainable environments that demonstrate a commitment to the principles of inclusive excellence. Currently, the convergence of dual global crises—the COVID-19 pandemic and reckoning of systemic violence and racism toward individuals from historically marginalized and oppressed groups—has led to prioritizing impactful inclusive excellence leadership processes that address justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. However, too often, in times of crisis, the strategic prioritizing and, more importantly, allocation of resources to support inclusive excellence initiatives are seen as secondary, tangential, or nonessential to the core operational mission of academic units. In this article, the authors discuss the unique realities, challenges, and opportunities academic leaders face when leading an equitable and inclusive academic workplace and culture during and after a crisis. The authors provide fundamental inclusive excellence and justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion terminology and definitions. In addition, the authors provide attributes, behaviors, and action steps for demonstrating equitable and inclusive crisis leadership.

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