Universities are still patriarchal institutions, with men dominating senior leadership positions. Systemic mechanisms are needed to ensure all our future leaders are able to flourish.
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Articles on University leadership
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Reports of big university budget surpluses appear to undermine calls for their federal funding to increase. But a closer look at how the surpluses were achieved reveals why change is needed.
Childhood dreams of being an All Black helped give a senior academic leader the courage to adopt the humble posture of a pupil with much to learn.
Universities supposedly have adopted a more corporate approach – but most corporate board members have expertise in the area their company operates in and are more accountable to shareholders.
One criticism of traditional mentoring is that it teaches people how to succeed by playing by existing rules, thus reinforcing the status quo. But mentoring can also be a force for change.
These are challenging times for university leaders, and new research shows ‘smart bullies’ are making life even more difficult.
Australia has gone backwards in global gender parity rankings, with even universities, which should be leading the way, failing on this front. But women are now saying enough is enough.
International Women’s Day is a time to take stock of what has been achieved and what remains to be done. 2020 was a massive missed opportunity to improve gender equity among university leaders.
The sameness of ‘weird’ university leaderships creates well-documented risks for the sector and adds to the challenges of ensuring higher education meets future needs.
In future, universities will only survive if they can produce knowledge fast and innovate. This will require transformational leadership that gets everyone involved.
A former activist turned professor says previous student movements may have opened the door for people of color to have greater opportunity but fell short of changing the power structure.
Top contributors
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Adjunct Professor, Victoria University
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Principal Fellow and Professor of Music, The University of Melbourne
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Associate Professor in Political Economy, University of Sydney
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Professor of Cultural Economy, University of South Australia
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Associate Professor, Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne
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Perinatal and pediatric epidemiologist; distinguished professorial fellow, Telethon Kids Institute
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Associate Professor, Southern Cross University
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Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor, Foundation Director, Southgate Institute for Health, Society & Equity, Flinders University
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Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Human Serivces and Social Work, Griffith University
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Senior Lecturer, Science and Technology Studies, University of Wollongong
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Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business, Law and Arts, Southern Cross University
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Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
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PhD Candidate, University of Sydney
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Professor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of British Columbia
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Associate Dean (Education), Southern Cross University
