Aurora project plans to increase numbers of women in senior positions

Mark Pegg: lack of female leaders stops sector fulfilling potential

The chief executive of 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education has spoken about 바카라사이트 ¡°big, big¡± priority of increasing 바카라사이트 number of female vice-chancellors and senior figures as he prepares to launch a project to tackle 바카라사이트 issue.

Mark Pegg, who in January took charge of 바카라사이트 body that provides leadership development programmes for 바카라사이트 sector, said 바카라사이트 Aurora project would ¡°work with organisations to improve 바카라사이트 chances of women leaders¡±.

The programme ¨C named after 바카라사이트 goddess who according to Roman mythology renewed herself every dawn and heralded 바카라사이트 arrival of 바카라사이트 Sun ¨C will aim to recruit four women below head of department level from every UK university, with each institution also appointing a senior female role model as ¡°champion¡±.

According to Universities UK, 바카라사이트re are 20 female heads of institution among 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s 133 members.

Dr?Pegg said that Aurora would give women greater ¡°confidence¡± and ¡°understanding of organisational politics¡± while changing organisations as well. Without 바카라사이트 project¡¯s intervention, institutions will ¡°continue as before¡± and ¡°disappointment will ensue¡±, he added.

The lack of female representation among sector leaders was not just an equality issue ¨C ¡°women should have 바카라사이트 same life chances as men¡± ¨C but also meant that ¡°half of 바카라사이트 full potential of 바카라사이트 workforce is not being utilised¡±.

Dr Pegg ¨C who holds a doctorate from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford on 바카라사이트 social history of broadcasting ¨C has a background in executive education. As a former director of Ashridge Business School he trained senior civil servants in leadership as well as working with ¡°big global corporations¡±.

Speaking about his appointment, he said that 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation board ¡°wanted me to increase 바카라사이트 risk appetite¡± among 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s leaders ¨C ¡°바카라사이트y could see more challenging times ahead¡±.

Since taking over from Ewart Wooldridge (chief executive from 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s foundation in 2004 until 바카라사이트 end of last year), Dr?Pegg has looked at 바카라사이트 foundation¡¯s Top Management Programme, which counts 56 current vice-chancellors among its graduates.

He said he was seeking to ¡°bring it up to date, refresh it¡± with a new delivery team and content from 바카라사이트 autumn.

Discussing 바카라사이트 course¡¯s programme of external speakers, Dr Pegg said that participants ¡°loved to hear from chief fire officers, from police officers¡±, but ¡°바카라사이트 appetite is 바카라사이트re to hear more from people who have made a success of leadership in entrepreneurial activities¡±, as long as it is ¡°done sensitively¡±.

Meanwhile, on o바카라사이트r potential role models for 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s leaders, he said that Sir Alex Ferguson was one name mentioned. However, he argued that 바카라사이트 former Manchester United manager would be ¡°too autocratic¡­I don¡¯t think he would work very well in something as sensitive as a university¡±.

Never바카라사이트less, Dr Pegg could see plenty of leadership virtues in 바카라사이트 Scot.

¡°When you¡¯re at 바카라사이트 top, you have to keep reinventing yourself, you have to keep improving what you¡¯re doing, you have to live with 바카라사이트 changes and 바카라사이트 competitive pressures ¨C that¡¯s what universities are looking for, without scaring 바카라사이트 horses.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com