About this program

Leadership and management require a particular set of knowledge and skills in the higher education context. These courses cover the broad topics common to a management syllabus but have a specific focus on the challenges faced by managers and aspiring managers working in universities and colleges.

The courses in this program will help equip staff with the skills they need to deal with the opportunities and challenges that today’s complex educational environment presents.

Higher Education View

Good leadership and management are critical to the success of today’s complex institutions, but heads of departments or research teams are often given little or no training for their administrative responsibilities. These new online courses, developed specifically for academic professionals, will help program heads to make their units more collaborative and creative, to manage resources to better serve their colleagues, and to contribute to the success of their institutions

Professor Robert Birnbaum

Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at the University of Maryland, College Park

For

Academic staff, research leaders and senior support staff who need to know more about good leadership and management practice in higher education

Lead Advisor

Professor Sir David Watson

Professor of Higher Education and Principal, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford

Free Trial:

Free one-week trial to any university wishing to review our courses and assess their suitability for students and staff.

Contact:

Andrew Mahaffy

  • +1 (315) 657 4562

University Leadership & Management

Course Module ID Online Duration Offline Duration Released Status
The university context: An introduction ULM 001 1.5 hours 4.0 hours Jul 2012

Overview

This introductory course sets out the aims and structure of the program. The course will help participants to:

  • Gain a better understanding of the broader higher education context
  • Begin to plan their learning and development as an effective leader or manager within their own institution
  • Identify the areas of the program that will best address their particular needs.

Syllabus

  • Module 1: Welcome to the University Leadership and Management program: introduction, structure and guiding principles
  • Module 2: The higher education context
  • Module 3: Personal development - how the program can address your particular needs.

The university context: An introduction contains 4 hours of optional self-development activity content.

Contributors

Author

Professor Shelda Debowski

Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of Campus, University of Notre Dame Australia

Reviewer

Dr Richard Bolden

Senior Lecturer and Head, Centre for Leadership Studies (CLS), University of Exeter Business School

University leadership and management ULM 002 5.0 hours 6.5 hours Jul 2012

Overview

This course explores management and leadership theories in the context of higher education. The course will help participants to:

  • Understand how management and leadership processes in higher education institutions differ from those in other organizations
  • Apply principles and techniques to increase their effectiveness as leaders and/or managers
  • Understand how to gain and maintain influence with colleagues and within their institution
  • Understand how and why true leadership promotes collegiality, trust and respect.

Syllabus

  • Module 1: Introduction to academic management and leadership: why universities are different, theoretical approaches
  • Module 2: Becoming an effective academic manager: benefits, disadvantages, key tasks
  • Module 3: Becoming an effective academic leader: how leaders are selected, leadership styles, a personal philosophy of leadership
  • Module 4: Maintaining influence: social power, social and emotional intelligence, communication, key lessons for leaders and managers

Leadership and management contains 6.5 hours of optional self-development activity content.

Contributors

Author

Professor Robert Birnbaum

Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at the University of Maryland, College Park

Reviewer

Dr Rajani Naidoo

Senior Lecturer and Director, DBA in Higher Education Management, University of Bath

University cultures & organizational management ULM 003 4.0 hours 13.0 hours Jul 2012

Overview

This course explores how university cultures operate and how leaders and managers can shape a positive and effective community. The course will help participants to:

  • Understand what influences university culture, and how culture affects those in leadership and/or management positions
  • Learn how to promote a rewarding, motivating work environment for all members of their university community
  • Address destructive or counter-productive behaviors
  • Lead change initiatives or transitions with confidence.

Syllabus

  • Module 1: Understanding university cultures: defining academic culture, stakeholder expectations, psychological contracts, strong and weak cultures
  • Module 2: Leading organizational change: types and levels of change, cultural audits, consulting colleagues, implementing change
  • Module 3: Building an effective organizational culture: managing constructively, balancing productivity and innovation, managing up and across, being inclusive
  • Module 4: Dealing with conflict: resolving conflict, sources of support

University cultures & organisational management contains 13 hours of optional self-development activity content.

Contributors

Author

Professor Shelda Debowski

Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of Campus, University of Notre Dame Australia

Reviewer

Carol Bolton

Organisational Development Manager, University of Liverpool

Strategic planning ULM 004 3.5 hours 9.0 hours Jul 2012

Overview

This course highlights the importance and practicalities of good strategic planning in today's higher education environment. It will help participants to:

  • Understand the value, purpose and principles of strategic planning
  • Learn how to analyze their departmental and institutional environment
  • Learn how to consult and engage colleagues and stakeholders
  • Understand different approaches to strategic implementation and the importance of monitoring and reviewing the strategic plan to ensure and maintain improved departmental performance.

Syllabus

  • Module 1: The role of strategic planning: purpose, principles and process
  • Module 2: Developing the strategic plan: scanning and analyzing the environment, consulting colleagues and stakeholders, KPIs, risk assessment
  • Module 3: Implementing your strategic plan: deciding on an approach, engaging and communicating with colleagues, leading implementation
  • Module 4: Monitoring progress, reviewing and revising the strategic plan

Strategic planning contains 9 hours of optional self-development activity content.

Contributors

Author

Professor Peter McCaffery

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, London Metropolitan University

Reviewer

Professor Mark Brown

Director, National Centre for Teaching and Learning and Distance Education and Learning Futures Alliance, Massey University

Managing people ULM 005 4.0 hours 6.0 hours Jul 2012

Overview

This course offers practical guidance on the management of staff within higher education institutions. The course will help participants to:

  • Apply theories of motivation, performance management and staff development to establish high performance within their department
  • Improve recruitment and orientation processes
  • Approach difficult situations, with a view to improving working relationships and performance
  • Understand the importance of diversity and how to make best use of different individuals' experiences and talents.

Syllabus

  • Module 1: The HR challenge: the idiosyncracies of the university environment, approaches to managing people
  • Module 2: Motivating staff
  • Module 3: Recruiting and orienting staff
  • Module 4: Optimizing high performance: principles and challenges, establishing and reviewing performance standards
  • Module 5: Managing difficult situations: poor performance, grievances, downsizing
  • Module 6: Developing staff: promoting a learning climate, team-building, understanding and supporting diversity

Managing people contains 6 hours of optional self-development activity content.

Contributors

Author

Professor Peter McCaffery

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, London Metropolitan University

Reviewer

Professor Margaret Orr

Director, Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development, University of the Witwatersrand

Managing resources ULM 006 3.0 hours 7.0 hours Jul 2012

Overview

This course examines the many aspects of managing fiscal and facilities resources in a higher education institution. The course will help participants to:

  • Assess their department's programs and services and manage conflicting resource needs and requests
  • Understand resource management in the context of institutional governance, mission and strategy
  • Understand different sources of revenue and expenses
  • Understand the technical 'hows' and 'whys' of managing departmental finances and facilities
  • Consider how to maintain professional and ethical practice in the context of resource management.

Syllabus

  • Module 1: Roles and responsibilities: assessing departmental provision, serving as a departmental advocate, managing conflicting resource needs
  • Module 2: Resource management in alignment with an institution's governance, mission and strategy
  • Module 3: Understanding departmental finances: revenue and expenses explained
  • Module 4: Managing departmental budgets: models, development, cycles
  • Module 5: Managing departmental facilities: operational and financial considerations
  • Module 6: The art and ethics of resource management.

Managing resources contains 7 hours of optional self-development activity content.

Contributors

Author

Dr Margaret Barr

Professor Emeritus, School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University

Author

Dr George McClellan

Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne

Reviewer

Professor Donald E. Heller

Dean, College of Education and Professor of Education, Michigan State University

Reviewer

Professor Peter McCaffery

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, London Metropolitan University

The contributors to this program include

  • Professor Robert Birnbaum

    Author and US editor

    Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at the University of Maryland, College Park

  • Dr Margaret Barr

    Author

    Professor Emeritus, School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University

  • Dr George McClellan

    Author

    Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne

  • Professor Shelda Debowski

    Author

    Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of Campus, University of Notre Dame Australia

  • Professor Peter McCaffery

    Author, reviewer and UK editor

    Deputy Vice-Chancellor, London Metropolitan University

Developed in conjunction with

  • Bournemouth University
  • Cardiff Metropolitan University
  • Dublin City University
  • Durham University
  • Forman Christian College University
  • Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Massey University
  • NUI Galway
  • NUI Maynooth
  • The University of Nottingham
  • University College Cork (UCC)
  • University College London (UCL)
  • University of Birmingham
  • University of Exeter
  • University of Limerick
  • University of Liverpool
  • University of St Andrews
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of the Witwatersrand
  • University of Ulster