Academic deans in higher education can benefit from various types of mentoring to compensate for limited, formal administrative training. Using a nationally disseminated survey, we examined academic dean engagement with critical friends as one form of mentoring for their leadership development. The national survey included 27 items addressing…

We present an outline for a year-long training session for potential departmental leaders. This outline is based on training led by the author over one academic year. The training consists of nine sessions with an emphasis on active learning among the participants.

Leadership development is not considered as a core component in higher education policies specifically when we examine the higher education polices of developing countries. To fill this gap, an intervention is designed to evaluate the impact of a leadership development program in academic leaders. The prime objective of this intervention was to…

This paper critically explores the opportunity for leadership development in higher education within an interpretative inquiry paradigm from the perspective of middle-level academics transitioning into leadership/management roles in Australian universities. Middle-level academics are described as being at a mid-point in their careers and…

The knowledge and ability of the individuals in a managerial position are to fulfill some specific management activities or tasks. Managerial skills are important for many reasons. Being a manager in an educational setting is a position to act as an effective leader and problem-solver in many simple and complex situations. However, in Thailand, it…

Gender equity and women's access to senior leadership and management positions in universities are a major challenge not only in South Africa but on the African continent, too. For women to take up senior leadership roles more potently, it is essential that they not only cope with and compete in patriarchal systems but more so, are equipped to…

In the classroom, great effort is made to educate the next generation of leaders on the importance of training for them and their future employees. As educators, the natural emphasis is placed on formal education, however as employees are promoted, their success often rests with their ability to manage a larger unit. In higher education the most…

Managers at Spanish universities are having to deal with increasingly complex managerial tasks as a result of current changes in higher education. This paper presents the results of a study into the professional development of deans and department heads at universities in Catalonia. At management level, these universities are typically based on an…

This article focuses on leadership behaviour and effectiveness of university academic program directors who have responsibility for managing a program or course of study. The leadership capabilities were assessed using the Integrated Competing Values Framework as its theoretical foundation. Data from 90 academic program directors and 710…

There has been a significant increase in interest in the development of educational leadership in recent years, not least in the school sector. However, little research exists on how leaders in higher education have learnt to lead, particularly those in "middle-leadership" positions such as heads of faculties and departments. This study…

Discusses the problems surrounding inservice development programs for deans and department chairpersons in junior and community colleges, including budget considerations, time constraints, selection of topics, planning, and implementation. Offers suggestions for making inservice activities productive. (Author/WD)

Describes how two reforms--portfolio culture and teacher professionalism--converge in a systemwide program for school leaders' professional development. Investigates use of portfolios to help (Australian) principals, deputy principals, and department heads improve their performance and accountability. Participants used portfolios as evidence of…

The Instructional Leadership Project of the Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Public Schools determined staff development needs in the district's secondary schools and designed a three-year program to help administrators, guidance personnel, and department chairpersons build the requisite staff development skills. (PGD)

A discussion of Sweden's needs for department-level administrator training proposes that despite the long existence of administrator training programs, the system must address development of the skills of the whole "management team." General program structure and some programs and trends are described. (Author/MSE)

The University of Strathclyde's professional development for department administrators has evolved from a one-day to a two-day residential seminar with additional thematic seminars and workshops. Integrated case studies addressing priorities, management style, departmental reviews, and monitoring development will be implemented next, and a system…