The role of middle leaders in bringing about improvement in schools is well documented in the UK and abroad, with the ever-present demand for raising standards and achievement. At the same time, the benefits to individuals from receiving coaching or mentoring is also well documented. However, little is known about the benefit to those providing…

Higher education institutions over the last half-century have invested in hiring student affairs personnel to administer student recruitment and retention efforts (Schwartz & Stewart, 2017). Mid-level student affairs and services managers play a critical role as leaders in administering programs, supervising staff, and reporting to…

Middle leadership development in a Higher Education context can be understood as a complex endeavor, influenced by interactions and interrelations within multiple systems. We explored the perspectives of thirty-five male and female middle leaders on the conditions influencing their leadership development at one university in Qatar. Q methodology…

Today, more than ever, there is a need to uncover the patterns of thinking that shape the rationality of the leader cohort to aid them in their role-making of the challenging niche truly. This Husserlian phenomenological inquiry purported to explore the individual and collective lived experiences of nine (9) purposively selected Filipino academic…

Mid-level leaders are caught in the middle of their organizational hierarchy, reporting to senior administrators while also leading or managing entry-level staff (Bodine Al-Sharif, Garcia, & McNaughtan, 2021). They are often asked to collaborate, build relationships, and share information with college and community stakeholders and in the…

Midlevel leaders are key players in institutional change, yet many often feel disconnected from the framing and execution of academic strategy. Actively engaging midlevel leaders in the institutional strategic planning process creates an opportunity for professional development and accountability for the success of the strategic plan.

Mid-level leaders (MLLs) play a vital role in higher education often taking on responsibilities that span various roles. The qualitative exploratory case study approach was used to explore the need for a coaching based leadership (CBL) development program for mid-level leaders and its potential impact on retention and succession of MLL. This…

This phenomenological inquiry investigated the often-overlooked negative aspects of subject leaders'/coordinators' influence on teacher leadership development, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 11 teachers who relinquished leadership roles due to these reasons. Findings suggest that subject leaders/coordinators impede teacher leadership…

The inadequacy of training and support for academic middle managers in the US, UK, and Australia is well documented. What remains unclear is what would make for better professional development. This study fills this gap by investigating what associate deans at US research universities report learning 'on the job'. Drawing on their perspectives and…

Although the leadership training and development industry generates billions of dollars each year, some countries lag behind. This article explores one program's attempt to expand leadership training and development opportunities in Nicaragua. The Leadership Trainer Certification Program (LTCP) is designed to prepare those who are responsible for…

The primary goal of this evaluation report is to effectively communicate the value and impact of the Leading from the Middle (LFM) Academy to a diverse set of community college stakeholders and to provide valuable insights into the program's effectiveness. This report presents the findings from the 2021-2022 LFM Academy pilot evaluation, assessing…

While leadership development is acknowledged as essential for institutional growth in the higher education sector, it remains poorly understood and under researched both empirically and theoretically. Although knowledge in this area is growing in western contexts, there is little published data from the Arabic speaking world. This article…

Despite persistent calls for institutions to offer internal leadership development programs for administrators, colleges and universities struggle to prepare mid-level administrators for professional advancement. Colleges and universities also face problems with employee retention. The experiences of those who occupy the organizational middle are…

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…

Academic mid-level managers, despite their work history and education, are not always prepared for the duties and responsibilities of their current positions or for senior-level management positions. The purpose of this study was to examine how academic mid-level managers perceived intentionally-designed professional development at a suburban…