Some Thoughts on Leadership in Higher Education

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Some Thoughts on Leadership in Higher Education

• John Swanwick

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Background Sources

• Open University Business School UK (OUBS)
• British Quality Foundation Leadership Group
• Leadership in industry public sector (British
  Post Office)

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Stakeholder Groups

• Many and varied more so than in industry?
• Focused on different outcomes that demand
  different approaches and behaviours
• In OUBS a sizeable group of associate lecturers
  largely devoted to the delivery of distance
  learning, not course content

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Who Are Our Stakeholders?
Funding Providers/ Regulatory Bodies
Customers
Companies
Research Funders
NHS
Companies
Police Forces
Parents
QAA
LSC
Students
HEFCE
Government
Schools
Institutions
DfES
OfSTED
FE Colleges
Suppliers
Other Institutions
Local Community Region
Faculty and Staff
Suppliers
Community
People
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Associate Lecturers are .

• Active business people practioners as a
  powerful source of current case studies and up to
  date experience (use of the model?) but limited
  theory
• Willing to give time to offer learning to others,
  but there are limits to this

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Associate Lecturers are .

• Retired business people also able to offer
  experience and practical case studies, including
  use of the model
• Time not so limited but risk of getting out of
  date
• Do we prepare employees now for such a role in
  retirement (either inside or outside the parent
  organisation)?

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Associate Lecturers are

• Other teachers (often full time university
  lecturers)
• Sound in theory and practice but perhaps less at
  the cutting edge
• Guardians of intellectual rigour and standards
  necessary for accreditation, certification, etc.

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Associate Lecturer backgrounds
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The Leadership Challenge

• As ever, cost v quality and relevance v rigour?
• Perhaps leadership in models where practioners
  give back learning within academic frameworks?
• Leadership that gives direction to systems of
  governance and administration that are in the
  hands of only one stakeholder?

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Implies.?

• A growing willingness to give something back -
  casualisation of academia? How can leaders,
  companies and individuals prepare for this?
• Confrontational styles of leadership because
  stakeholders needs, expectations and behaviours
  vary greatly?
• A vision somehow forged from disparates?
• Can the model help?