Public universities worldwide have incorporated neoliberal behaviours and norms across their activities, moulding organizational practices, processes and cultures. In particular, these changes have been expressed through forms of academic capitalism and increasing 'marketization' of public university activities. A little explored perspective on…

Formal Indigenous leadership within Australian universities has expanded significantly in the last decade. Given this advancement, understanding how to integrate Indigenous leadership into existing institutional governance structures is an area that requires investigation. Recognising the need to further examine Indigenous leadership in the higher…

In 2017 Universities Australia initiated their "Indigenous Strategy 2017-2020" which outlined a clear commitment for each university to appoint at least one Indigenous person to a senior executive role. Many universities are yet to realise this promise. In some cases, it is a situation of nil intent to do so, while others have an…

Three years post-pandemic, the global higher education sector faces a crucial turning point. COVID-19 deepened existing inequities but also drove global innovation and adaptation. This report highlights five key themes discussed by Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) members from over 20 Commonwealth countries at the 2024 ACU…

Purpose: This paper reports on a research study examining opportunities for and characteristics of effective leadership for whole university approaches to health, well-being and sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-method qualitative approach was used: semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with vice chancellors…

This article considers the ambivalent and contradictory positions that women in senior leadership roles in universities occupy. And while women continue to be numerically in the minority in senior leadership positions, this relative invisibility can work to their advantage; they are neither inside nor outside of the university hierarchy.…

Historically, Australian higher education has been statist, uniform, and secular. Indeed, up until 1989, even communist Poland had more Christian universities than Australia. Only in the last 3½ decades have eight different Christian universities and colleges emerged. This article first explores the origins of these new institutions and the…

This article spins a yarn about the appointment of António Coimbra, the first vice-chancellor of an Australian university, who came from Portugal, well-equipped for the job. Described is his approach to this new role and his unusual way of handling the unexpected task of a vice-chancellor.

When Geoffrey Sherington and I set out on our project on the Australian Public University, which culminated in "Sydney: The Making of a Public University" (2012), we wanted to move away from the emphasis of conventional institutional history on chancellors, vice-chancellors and governing councils in order to explore the university as a…

It is broadly acknowledged that leaders in the twenty-first century are required to navigate an increasingly complex landscape and that the types of challenges individuals and organisations face in the knowledge era require the capacity to adapt and respond to continual fluctuations and change. Outcomes from previous leadership research, combined…

This paper questions the dominant arguments that currently frame debate over the political ineffectiveness of the higher education lobby in Australia. Public choice theory is used to advance a more complex hypothesis that takes into account dramatic changes to the political environment over recent decades. This is tested against interview data…

This paper analyses differences in perceptions of gender and leadership though qualitative interviews with 45 senior managers in Australia and Turkey. The literature suggests that masculine models of leadership are changing with both women and many men preferring transformational leadership styles. The research found that there were different…

Purpose: The research presented here attempts to identify and analyse the reported selection criteria used in the appointment of Australian vice-chancellors (VCs) and to contrast this with the selection criteria actually used. Design/methodology/approach: Contemporary research into the nature, role and purpose of section criteria in appointment…

This study draws on the multi-theoretical approach to governance and the views of university chief executive officers (CEOs) to examine the extent to which internal auditing as a control mechanism is adopted in Australian public universities under an environment of change management. The findings highlight negative consequences of change and their…

This paper discusses responses provided by 31 Pro Vice-Chancellors (PVCs) and Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVCs) who were part of a larger study of more than 500 higher education leaders in roles ranging from DVC to head of programme in 20 Australian universities. Using both quantitative and qualitative data the paper gives an insider's perspective on…