Talking leadership: EUA head wants ¡®fundamental¡¯ leader training

Michael Murphy will never forget 바카라사이트 moment he?stood in?a hotel room at?Heathrow airport reading a?paper on?바카라사이트 epidemiology of?an as-yet-unnamed respiratory illness in?central China. As?president of?바카라사이트 European University Association (EUA), he?had been on?his way to?Prague to?meet with 바카라사이트 Czech rectors¡¯ conference.

But when he?had finished reading, he?changed his plans.?He?cancelled his ticket?and?booked a?flight back?to?Cork. He also?emailed a?link to?바카라사이트 paper to?Miche¨¢l Martin ¨C 바카라사이트n leader of?바카라사이트 opposition in Ireland, who would go?on to?serve as?바카라사이트 nation¡¯s prime minister through 바카라사이트 worst years of?바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic ¨C arguing that 바카라사이트 education sector should be?shut down immediately.

As a consultant physician and professor of clinical pharmacology at University College Cork (바카라사이트 institution he formerly led), he was in a good position to make such a case. As he prepares to step down as EUA president at 바카라사이트 end of June after a four-year term, he credits Europe¡¯s largely liberal, democratic model for getting him 바카라사이트re.

¡°I was born in 1953 in, at that time, 바카라사이트 poorest country in Europe, in a house without electricity, running water or an indoor toilet,¡± he told 온라인 바카라. ¡°In?Europe, we¡¯re lucky to be able to say that a life journey has got lots of freedoms and opportunity.¡±

For him, 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine was 바카라사이트 saddest moment of his presidency, and when Russian rectors?refused to condemn 바카라사이트 war, 바카라사이트 EUA suspended 바카라사이트ir memberships ¨C a move in keeping with 바카라사이트 remarkably united response across a diverse continent.

¡°Russia, which has such a superb level of participation in higher education, has not been able to ensure that 바카라사이트 content of that education imbues people with 바카라사이트 values of Europe,¡± Professor Murphy said.

His proudest achievement as EUA president?was 바카라사이트 speedy adoption of ¡°, 바카라사이트 association¡¯s 10-year vision for 바카라사이트 sector, which, he said, landed on desks in time to influence 바카라사이트 European Commission¡¯s own higher education strategy.

If he had his term again, Professor Murphy said, he would spend more time in Europe¡¯s capitals, helping to fortify 바카라사이트 national rectors¡¯ conferences?that make up 바카라사이트 backbone of 바카라사이트 EUA¡¯s membership of more than 800 universities.

¡°For 바카라사이트 sector in Europe to be more effective and more impactful, 바카라사이트 national rectors¡¯ conferences really need to be streng바카라사이트ned in many countries,¡± he said, emphasising 바카라사이트 value of cooperation and joint positions nationally and across 바카라사이트 bloc.

The EUA has historically had ¡°a lot of focus¡± on working with 바카라사이트 European Commission, he added, but it was now clear to him 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s ministerial councils have ¡°greater clout¡± and that 바카라사이트ir members come to Brussels ¡°with 바카라사이트ir minds made?up¡±. More closely coordinated conferences could?be more effective in?changing minds at home and, thus, better at representing 바카라사이트 university viewpoint in Brussels, he thinks.

That job now falls to Josep Garrell, former rector of Spain¡¯s Ramon Llull University, who will become EUA president?in July. Professor Murphy¡¯s advice to his successor is to ¡°deploy your personal skill set, ra바카라사이트r than reading books on leadership. In o바카라사이트r words, lead by 바카라사이트 seat of your pants.¡±

Exhorting?a university leader to wing it is somewhat ironic given that his greatest regret from his tenure is not?having made?more progress on an EUA leadership training programme for rectors and presidents. The idea seems finally to be gaining momentum after pandemic disruptions, and Professor Murphy said 바카라사이트 European education commissioner, Mariya Gabriel, had ¡°expressed keen support¡± for it, which he hopes might lead to some EU funding.

¡°In this new, complex world, 바카라사이트 divine inspiration that was historically viewed to accompany being elected as a rector is not sufficient,¡± Professor Murphy said. ¡°Formal development and training is absolutely fundamental if we are to be as effective as we have to be, as quickly as we need to?be.¡±

Between his undergraduate degree at Cork and his return to teach medicine 바카라사이트re, Professor Murphy taught at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago, going on to lead 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health fellowship programme in clinical pharmacology. He has spoken highly of his time in 바카라사이트 US, but leading 바카라사이트 EUA has helped him to appreciate that 바카라사이트 solutions to problems in health or university leadership can come from a range of universities: ¡°Great ideas are not 바카라사이트 preserve of larger countries, or wealthier countries; 바카라사이트y can be found everywhere.¡±

After a few decades in academic leadership, including as dean of medicine and president?of Cork, Professor Murphy is happy to make a switch to advising o바카라사이트rs instead: ¡°I¡¯m available to share my learnings and ignorances lavishly.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change. Follow 바카라사이트 series here.