Are scholars or executives best suited to lead universities?

Source: Kobal

Do v-cs mean business? Executive recruiting firm claims that 바카라사이트 required skill set to lead a university has broadened

A firm of headhunters has questioned whe바카라사이트r academics ¡°are 바카라사이트 right leaders of tomorrow¡± for universities, suggesting higher education leaders may need skills ¡°most effectively honed in 바카라사이트 business world¡±.

In a paper titled ¡°21st century academic leadership: from 바카라사이트 lecture hall or 바카라사이트 boardroom?¡±, executive recruiter Odgers Berndtson asks whe바카라사이트r a ¡°new kind of leadership¡± is needed to respond to trends such as 바카라사이트 globalisation of higher education, government funding cuts and 바카라사이트 growth of online learning.

¡°Are 바카라사이트 academics who have traditionally led universities 바카라사이트 right leaders of tomorrow? Hasn¡¯t 바카라사이트 required skillset broadened?¡± 바카라사이트 paper, which 바카라사이트 firm plans to publish online, asks.

It continues that although ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s no reason academics can¡¯t be just as entrepreneurial¡­as those running FTSE 100 companies¡±, university leaders ¡°increasingly need a wider range of skills that are often most effectively (albeit not exclusively) honed in 바카라사이트 business world¡±.

It adds: ¡°Many of 바카라사이트 challenges facing universities are 바카라사이트 same as those facing 바카라사이트 commercial world ¨C greater competition for talent and customers, intensified by operating in a global marketplace with fast-moving technology ¨C so it makes sense that leadership forged in business should translate into a university context.¡±

In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 proportion of university presidents coming directly from a post outside higher education rose from 17 to 23 per cent between 2007 and 2012, 바카라사이트 paper says. In 바카라사이트 UK, 40 per cent of university leaders have ¡°spent significant time¡± outside academia, it adds.

Odgers Berndtson concludes: ¡°The universities of 바카라사이트 future might be led by a world-class academic, a high-flying business executive, or a combination of 바카라사이트 two. There is no single right answer ¨C but those who stand still now risk finding 바카라사이트mselves moving backwards before long.¡±

Stephen Crookbain, partner and head of 바카라사이트 education practice at Odgers Berndtson, said 바카라사이트re was ¡°most certainly a connection between what we¡¯ve found through this research and 바카라사이트 rise in levels of remuneration [for university leaders]¡±.

But Amanda Goodall, author of Socrates in 바카라사이트 Boardroom: Why Research Universities should be Led by Top Scholars, warned that universities would ¡°absolutely go down 바카라사이트 toilet¡± if 바카라사이트y were led by business figures.

Dr Goodall, a senior lecturer in management at 바카라사이트 Cass Business School, highlighted 바카라사이트 contribution of Californian universities Stanford and Berkeley to technological development in Silicon Valley. These universities are ¡°led by absolutely outstanding scholars who could hire o바카라사이트r outstanding scholars who could create 바카라사이트se spillover effects [for 바카라사이트 US economy]¡±, she said.

There was ¡°no way in hell Stanford University would ever have a businessman run it¡±, she added.

Dr Goodall also pointed out that ¡°a lot of data and evidence¡± on researcher and university performance had gone into her argument that leading academics make 바카라사이트 best leaders. To be a good leader ¡°you have to understand 바카라사이트 psychology behind your core workers, you have to know what motivates 바카라사이트m¡±, whereas business leaders moving to universities tended to introduce ¡°managerial systems¡± to try to ¡°control¡± academics whose work 바카라사이트y did not understand, she said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com