Leadership development in Higher Education: A literature review and implications for programme redesign

Dopson, Sue; Ferlı́e, Ewan; McGivern, Gerry; Fischer, Michael D.; Mitra, Mahima; Ledger, Jean; Behrens, Sonja

doi:10.1111/hequ.12194

Cited by 71 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Despite this important organizational role, research (Dopson et al, 2019) suggests many heads receive inadequate training for the position. It has been posited (Bolman and Gallos, 2011) that faculty who come from fields with a background in leadership studies (e.g., business administration, social psychology, educational leadership) are somewhat better prepared for departmental leadership.…”

Section: Research Base On Academic (Departmental) Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This leadership role is often assumed with limited warning, leaving many departmental administrators entering positions without much formal training, significant prior experience, understanding of the ambiguity and complexity of the position, preparation to lead within a system of shared governance, realization that administration requires a metamorphic change from professorial work, and preparation to balance personal and professional lives (Gmelch et al, 2017). Adding to the complexity, as higher education demographics and organizational expectations change, heads function in more uncertain and increasingly complex institutional environments (Dopson et al, 2019). During times of increasingly scarce financial and human resources, heads are further challenged to equity manage their units, ensuring that programs and personnel are adequately supported.…”

Section: Research Base On Academic (Departmental) Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Academic Leadership During a Pandemic: Department Heads Leading With a Focus on Equity

2020

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The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis with momentous challenges for higher education institutions. Academic leaders have been charged with restructuring their systems, ensuring instructional quality while operating with significantly diminished resources. For department heads of units with leadership preparation programs, the complexity of this crisis is layered upon fundamental scholarship about leadership, which reports the effectiveness of leadership as a collective incorporating the shared and diverse talents of faculty, students, and program stakeholders. This work of educational leadership rests on a public and democratic ethic promoting social justice and equity as the practices and outcomes for schooling at any level. In this article, three department heads of educational leadership units in major research universities use dialogic inquiry to reflect on our responses to complex demands brought forth by the pandemic. We share insights into our decision making, as we have led with a focus on equity. We address dilemmas and conflicts that we have addressed as departmental leaders during this critical period of institutional challenges, changing institutional policies and practices, and declining resources, as we have worked to ensure equitable access and distribution of resources for students, faculty, and staff. We conclude with implications for department heads who strive to maintain a focus on equity during times of sweeping organizational change.

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Section: Research Base On Academic (Departmental) Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Research Base On Academic (Departmental) Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Academic Leadership During a Pandemic: Department Heads Leading With a Focus on Equity

2020

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“…It is centered on enabling leaders to provide direction, influence subordinates and other leaders to perform better, establish internal and external relationships with stakeholders and initiate sustainable change through the access to information. Meanwhile, [8] defines "digital leadership as requiring reflection on online self-awareness and congruence, grappling with the controversy that comes with cyber civility and how to be a digital citizen prepared to inspire positive social change". Figure 1 depicts the facets of digital leadership in conjunction with the features of leadership and the leadership styles that are prevalent in universities.…”

Section: Conceptualization Of Digital Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Major trends have emerged such as the "virtual university" which is digitalized and requires leaders with very strong information and communication technology (ICT) capabilities. [8] suggests that to have a competitive edge, collaboration, strategic partners, joint ventures and managed networks are pivotal in universities. These authors further argue that the digitalization of universities requires a leadership style that is distinctive and cooperative as opposed to the vertically integrated style seen in universities which are informed by the hierarchical structures.…”

Section: Effects Of Digital Leadership In Universitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digitalizing South African Universities: Exploring Benefits, Barriers and Risks

Ngcamu¹

2020

Digital Leadership - A New Leadership Style for the 21st Century

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University leaders in South Africa have employed various leadership styles which focus on improving employee, departmental, faculty and organizational performance. However, digital leadership style is not popular and applied by leaders in universities in South Africa despite compelling benefits associated with digital leadership in universities which include improvement in communication with the key university stakeholders, enhancing the learning and teaching process, quality research outputs, community engagement, leadership and management. The present study aims to provide an understanding of the digital leadership in relation to other seminal leadership approaches which are pertinent in universities. This study further ascertains the benefits, challenges and risks in digitalizing campuses in the epoch of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It significantly shapes university policies on digital technology, practices and theories on leadership styles which can bring radical changes in universities. This chapter equips university leaders to harness digital leadership style benefits and capacitate university leaders on risks associated by leading with technology. Application of the digital leadership style will assist university leaders in different employment categories to digitally improve employee and organizational performance, eliminate wastage and provide smooth communication channels and regular feedback.

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“…Whilst this has been disputed by numerous HoDs that throughout the university there were no leadership development plans. According to Dopson et al (2018), there is a paucity of literature on leadership development to support complex roles in universities, as well as limited leadership interventions. This has been aggravated by contested debates on the leadership development syllabus, and content in the medical industry.…”

Section: Strategies To Develop Employees In the Universitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Succession Planning and Leadership Development in a Faculty of Health Sciences

Ngcamu¹

2019

GJHS

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BACKGROUND: The challenges in the Faculty of Health Sciences in universities are unique and complex. These dynamic faculties require decisive and strong leadership, smooth systems and business processes, succession plans and development opportunities. These challenges in these faculties are exacerbated by the fact that the roles and responsibilities of the Heads of Departments are multifaceted. Those who are heading them are not acclimatising to the responsibilities because of the lack of support to develop and succeed in their positions. This study therefor seeks to determine challenges faced by the HoDs in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and the succession plans, competences and development programmes that are in place to develop future leadership talent in a university in South Africa. METHODS: A single case study approach was employed whereby qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with nine HoDs and a faculty dean as well as the observation and document analysis. The grounded theory as an inductive process was used to categorise and code data where themes and trends emerged from the data. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged from the data: The university, faculty and departments within the faculty did not have succession plans while the strategic positions were occupied by post-retirees. The Faculty did not have competent employees who could ascend to academic leadership positions in the faculty. There was limited growth in the Faculty due to the absence of the developmental programmes. There was a plethora of challenges including the shortage of office equipment, absence of the mentoring programmes, structural fragmentation and inefficiencies in the Human Resource Department (HRD). CONCLUSIONS: A pervasive crisis was observed in this particular Faculty of Health Sciences during the turbulent times in universities. It is crucial for the HoDs to receive quality support from the administrative departments such as HRD in order for them to achieve the departmental objectives. The HoDs’ leadership capabilities and effectiveness can be enhanced by mainstreaming the human resources business systems, development, mentoring and coaching, as well as the implementation of well-coordinated succession plans.

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Leadership development in Higher Education: A literature review and implications for programme redesign

Cited by 71 publications

References 76 publications

Academic Leadership During a Pandemic: Department Heads Leading With a Focus on Equity

Academic Leadership During a Pandemic: Department Heads Leading With a Focus on Equity

Digitalizing South African Universities: Exploring Benefits, Barriers and Risks

Succession Planning and Leadership Development in a Faculty of Health Sciences

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