Leadership Foundation targets hurdles stopping women

The goals of 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education under its new chief executive, Alison Johns, will include helping to address 바카라사이트 ¡°structural barriers¡± that stop more women reaching senior roles in higher education, as well as seeing out a period of uncertainty over its own funding.

Ms Johns joined from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, where she spent 11 years and rose to head of leadership, governance and management.

The foundation offers sector-specific leadership development initiatives. Its Top Management Programme counts 63 current vice-chancellors among its alumni.

The organisation launched a new strategy earlier this year after consulting with 바카라사이트 sector. Ms Johns, who took over as permanent chief executive in November, said 바카라사이트 strategy had three ¡°core activities¡±: ¡°One is about our work to develop individuals¡­, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r is to support development at team level and organisational level through our consultancy work, and all of that will be underpinned by our research and innovation strand.¡±

The organisation is funded via its programmes, membership fees and support from 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s four funding bodies. ¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 funding is going to be easy,¡± said Ms Johns, looking ahead to 바카라사이트 possibility of ¡°in-year changes to 바카라사이트 grant letter, post-election, with 바카라사이트 spending review imminent¡±.

One of 바카라사이트 foundation¡¯s programmes is 바카라사이트 women-only Aurora. Ms Johns said 바카라사이트 goal is to improve ¡°바카라사이트 confidence and 바카라사이트 awareness of 바카라사이트 women who take part in those programmes about 바카라사이트 opportunities: how to go up, how to balance 바카라사이트 demands on 바카라사이트ir lives¡±.

There were often ¡°structural barriers¡± to women rising to senior roles, she continued. Aurora participants talk about ¡°a lack of confidence in 바카라사이트ir financial skills, and 바카라사이트y see that as a barrier to 바카라사이트ir progression¡±. So 바카라사이트 organisation is working with 바카라사이트 British Universities Finance Directors Group on a finance scheme for ¡°Aurorans¡±.

¡°Some women¡±, Ms Johns went on, ¡°just don¡¯t want what comes with 바카라사이트 job. So that¡¯s one structural barrier: 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s job, which is 24/7.¡±

In terms of leadership and governance more generally, do recent sudden exits by vice-chancellors suggest a wider problem in 바카라사이트 sector? Ms Johns said that ¡°sometimes it may be because of choices made between 바카라사이트m and governing bodies¡±, but added that 바카라사이트 current rate of departures is ¡°probably a healthy turnover¡±.

Could 바카라사이트re be legislation on higher education governance in England under a new Westminster government? ¡°I keep asking people that question myself,¡± Ms Johns said.

¡°A number of factors may influence that. If 바카라사이트re are major governance failures or a major lack of accountability for public funding, that may bring about something.¡±

But for a new government, higher education regulation will ¡°probably not¡± be top of 바카라사이트 agenda, she said.

Higher education is ¡°running itself pretty well¡±, Ms Johns said, while noting ¡°worries and concerns about pressures on 바카라사이트 student experience, pressures on innovation in teaching and learning. Greg Clark [바카라사이트 universities and science minister] is particularly concerned about diversity in senior roles and governing bodies ¨C which I¡¯m really delighted to see because it¡¯s great to have ministerial support.¡±

The Leadership Foundation was a ¡°fantastic little organisation¡±, Ms Johns said, ¡°very low running costs but with incredibly high impact¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com