Managing in Tough Times - Friday 17 July 2009
A majority of the Universities in the North West of England were represented at this lively lunchtime discussion forum. The discussion enabled the 27 delegates to share their priorities and concerns about the future of the higher education sector as the recession increasingly impacts on income, and began the debate about possible responses.
Key themes to emerge included: a choice between academic or vocational programmes; demographic trends, especially in the North West; centralised or devolved structures, and the high costs of senior management; the costs and benefits of accountability; the appropriate role of management, leadership and culture; engaging with employers; specialisation of roles and contracts (eg teaching or research posts?) for individuals; and further differentiation of institutions.
The outcomes of the discussion will help to inform a potentially much larger regional conference on the same theme this academic year.
Materials from the event:
Please contact Stuart Hunt Leadership Foundation's North West Regional Co-ordinator; if you would like to know more or if you want to be involved in the Regional Conference in some way.