The following research projects were commissioned as part of Series Two. Most are available on the publications page of the website and the remaining research will be available soon.
A joint consultancy research project, commissioned and funded by the Arts Council England, the Cultural Leadership Programme and the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
Kate Oakley and Sara Selwood.
This report is available to download from the publications page of the website.
Baseline study of leadership development in Higher Education, 2009
John Burgoyne, John Mackness, Lancaster University Management School, and Sadie Williams, Lancaster University.
The research reported here has provided a baseline review of the current state of leadership development in higher education. It includes findings from the literature about best practice in leadership development as well as baseline research about leadership development in higher education, what is being spent and why, how much is being spent, and on what kinds of leadership development activities.
The main findings of the research indicate that higher education has made significant progress with leadership development in recent years. Leadership development is high on the agendas of policy-makers and senior managers in higher education institutions (HEIs) and a wide variety of approaches to development are being used. There is also active consideration of what kinds of leadership development work best and in what contexts.
Most leadership development in higher education is concentrated at present on individual leaders and their individual development. There is room therefore in the sector for more alignment of leadership development with strategic goals and with organisational change. There are also some gaps in provision, and some HEIs report having difficulty finding development opportunities which will have credibility with academics in higher education.
This report is available to download from the publications page of the website.
A guide to scenario planning in higher education
Nicola Sayers, The Leadership Foundation for Higher Education
This report is available to download from the publications page of the website.
Diversity in higher education: Leadership responsibilities and challenges
Diane Bebbington, Director, Knowledge Perspectives.
This report is available to download from the publications page of the website.
Mapping leadership development in higher education: A global study
John Fielden, CHEMS Consulting.
This report is available to download from the publications page of the website.
The role of governing bodies in promoting equality and diversity in HEIs
This research was managed and funded by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) and the Leadership Foundation with the support of the Committee of University Chairmen (CUC). The project was developed in parallel with other work commissioned by the Leadership Foundation and CUC to support the enhancement of governance in higher education.
Susan Vinnicombe and team, Cranfield University.
Governing bodies have significant responsibilities with regard to equality and diversity in higher education. For instance, it is ultimately their responsibility to ensure that institutions comply with legal obligations set out in equalities legislation. Over and above legislative requirements, equal treatment forms part of most institutional missions and governing bodies have a significant role to play in guiding institutions’ strategy and policy. This research considered questions such as 'How are governing bodies currently promoting equality and diversity in higher education institutions?' 'Are their members broadly reflective of the communities they serve?'.
This project aimed to support governors and higher education institutions in maximising the potential of all staff and students regardless of their race, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender and religion or belief. A steering group, chaired by Russell Seal, chair of Council, University of Exeter, guided the project. The first part involved carrying out research and the second focused on developing practical strategies and tools for governors and institutions.
Research objectives were:
This report is available to download from the download from the Equality Challenge Unit publications site.
I graduate international insight.
Recruiting, motivating and retaining talented staff, and encouraging both staff development and career progression, are key challenges for higher education institutions. Roles within higher education are changing significantly and career paths are no longer clearly defined. Insight into career motivation in higher education was developed by i-graduate together with the Leadership Foundation and in consultation with 26 HEIs across England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The study intended to help identify, among other aspects, how academic and professional staff within the sector perceive these changes and how they affect motivation, career aspirations and decisions. The study was specifically intended to help HEIs narrow the gap between career motivation and employer understanding.
The report covers staff perspectives of the higher education sector in general, and more specifically of their institution, between winter 2008 and spring 2009. It presents an overview of the aggregated findings from all participating institutions, in addition to valuable comparisons between staff at a range of levels and positions. Views from staff in a range of large/small, pre-/post-1992, campus-/city-based, and specialist/generalist HEIs are represented.
The main aspect of the study was an online survey which nearly 12,000 staff responded to. This was followed by a small qualitative phase: firstly, 20 staff participated in in-depth telephone interviews and secondly, focus groups were conducted with 27 staff.
This report is available to download from the publications page of the website.
"Higher education futures": Key themes and implications for leadership and management
Jay Kubler and Nicola Sayers, with an epilogue by David Watson.
This paper looks at recent research on the future of higher education and the future of the university. It draws on the literature to highlight the key challenges, opportunities, and most importantly the questions facing institutional leaders as they guide their institutions toward a future that is by definition uncertain. The issues confronting higher education systems and their constituent institutions are manifold, interconnected and complex, encompassing fundamental questions such as: how will they be funded, who will they teach, what will they teach, how will they be regulated and governed, who will they serve and how will they be structured. This paper examines the dynamics of change underpinning the possible futures for higher education and provides a framework for leaders and other policy makers to think today about the factors that will help them plan for tomorrow.
The primary basis for this paper is a selection of recent sets of scenarios about the future of higher education – selected because of their depth and relevance. An analysis of these scenarios provides the framework for this paper, which also draws on wider literature on the future of higher education. Thematic trends emerging from the futures research and speculations are presented, with discussion as to how they might inform the policy-making and strategic thinking of higher education leaders.
It focuses on six principal thematic areas:
This report is available to download from the publications page of the website.
Leadership and management of international partnerships
A joint research project commissioned and funded by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education in the United Kingdom, AKEPT in Malaysia, and the LH Martin Institute in Australia.
John Fielden
This report will be published in November 2010.