Background/purpose: Developments in the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is full steam ahead in the wake of the fourth industrial revolution. One of the hot discussions over the exponential advancement of AI has been whether this ability of machines to accomplish tasks that require human intelligence could take over the roles of humans in the…

In this essay, I introduce the term "governance inversion" to describe a situation in which a university administration repositions a governance body in such a way as to limit its legitimate governance function. Structural conditions might make governance inversion more likely, but narratives might also be deployed to make the inversion…

Much of the literature in library leadership and management focuses on strategies and practices based on discrete attributes and sweeping human behaviors intended to improve operational effectiveness. This paper challenges the reader to build a mindset for leadership that reflects the real world, where leaders and managers work within parameters…

Despite the movement toward post-new public management in western countries, the new public (NPM) management model is still a popular managerialism adopted in many countries where the history of neoliberal governance is relatively short. While the principal-agent theory has been primarily used for analyzing education policy within the NPM context,…

This article explores the complex academic-administrative role of the associate dean in US higher education administration. Previous research in Australia, UK and USA indicates that these academic middle managers experience significant conflict and ambiguity due to their roles and responsibilities as faculty members and administrators. Victor…

This paper argues that school leaders and managers are being forced to abandon their educational purpose and that leadership and management activities of school leaders are now purposed towards satisfying the needs of a managerialist elite. As a result, the best interests of learners/ students are placed secondary to the interests of the…

The boundaries of higher education organizations (HEOs) are becoming increasingly porous both in the USA and globally. Research has shown that individuals within universities (e.g., trustees and faculty) can serve as boundary spanners who connect universities to their external environments. However, our knowledge of how individuals span HEO…

Schools and policy makers face common challenges driven by external affairs such as economic uncertainty, globalisation, and advances in technology. Rapidly changing educational, societal, and political systems require school leaders to adopt creativity and innovation (Cr&Inn) as an integral feature of their leadership. To understand what…

The Netflix series, "The Chair," illustrates a dramatic portrayal of the role of the chair. The reality of the department chair's role is complex and becoming more so. The inherent structure of the department chair is rife with paradoxes. Following a brief overview of the leadership literature and a quick summary of "The Chair"…

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is being felt across all higher education institutions. Deans, central to institutional response and college/school repositioning, are being challenged to provide leadership that result in successful institutional response. This study illuminates the current understanding of three trends requiring critical…

It is hard to comprehend how U.S. universities and colleges could effectively manage their international engagements without a Senior International Officer (SIO), a position that has grown in scope and complexity over recent decades and continues to evolve as we enter a new era for international mobility and academic linkages. As crucial a role as…

This article explores the experiences of project directors at two-year Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander serving institutions in the Midwest. Specifically, we examined how project directors faced racialized campus environments, navigated support structures (or the lack thereof), and continually combatted misperceptions about the…

This article reflects on the role of the academic dean in theological education in relation to faculty of color. Drawing on research related to faculty of color in higher education and theological education, the article explores issues and responses to the challenges faced by faculty of color in predominately White institutions, and maps potential…

As middle managers in higher education, department chairs play a critical role in the university structure while operating in an ambiguous location between faculty and senior administration. This paper will take a closer look at the role of department chair, how chairs are selected and prepared for the position, what the job entails, qualities of…

The notion that educators are committed to effective facilitation of racial integration in secondary schools has become the keystone in developing a socially just schooling system in South Africa. This paper sets out to determine the role educators play in the transformation of schools towards racial integration, as well as their nature and…