Processes of market-making and regulation are recalibrating the work of teacher education. While an established body of research has examined changes to the content and control of teacher education in the UK and internationally, the impact of audit-based accountability on the work of academic leaders is neglected. This study explores the career…

The purpose of this study was to understand the extent to which novice department leaders believe they have been supported in their roles. Previous research has suggested that department leaders have unique needs due to the lack of clarity in their roles and responsibilities. The literature further reflected the inconsistent support provided to…

This paper examines strategic information systems' role in academic program planning, emphasizing department heads' perspectives at emerging universities. Employing a descriptive survey method, it gathers data from 54 department heads across three universities via a validated questionnaire, addressing system implementation and challenges. Despite…

While interdisciplinarity has been promoted in universities for decades, research suggests that untenured faculty struggle to receive recognition for their interdisciplinary research. Informed by the microfoundations of institutional theory and discursive legitimation, we examine how members of academic departments participate in the legitimation…

In the study being reported here, heads of composition at a selection of music conservatoires (n = 6) in the UK were invited to share their experiences of teaching composition. Arising from the analysis of interview data, three main themes, termed 'pedagogical goals', emerged as important for undergraduate and postgraduate students to progress as…

Using survey data collected from business school deans/accounting department chairs, a scale measuring factors critical to the success of accounting programs and business schools was developed and tested, and perceptions of competitive performance and alignment of strategic priorities were evaluated. Results indicated that dimensions were…

Changes to education policy in England since 2010 have led teachers to reflect on what and how they teach. This paper presents original data exploring how a small selection (n = 10) of Heads of English in some English secondary schools are accommodating policy changes. Ball's analytic framework developed to explore neoliberal policy enactment in…

Research exploring the challenges department chairs face has long suggested the role is difficult and lacks tangible reward (Buller, 2012, 2015; Gmelch et al., 2017). Yet, as higher education demographics, settings, and organizational expectations change and chairs function in more uncertain and increasingly complex institutional environments, it…

Using a blend of functional, distributed, and instructional leadership theories as a theoretical lens, this article presents the perspectives of Namibian principals, heads of departments (HODs) and teachers on the various leadership competencies that are required in their role of enabling school leaders to support their teachers' professional…

This article explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on academic department chairs. Through a survey of 172 department chairs in the United States, the central findings of this research--intensified challenges, a multidirectional leadership pivot, and competing perceptions of higher education reinvention--reinforce the liminality of the…

This study examines the role of deans, department chairs, and diversity officers within the faculty diversity and hiring discourse. Using an embedded case study approach, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 administrative and academic leaders across four academic departments to understand their theories of change to advance faculty…

This article takes Margaret Meek Spencer's 1988 pamphlet "How Texts Teach What Readers Learn" to frame a discussion about the purpose of English Literature in English secondary schools. The primary data informing this article is taken from original interviews with ten Heads of English departments in English secondary schools. Henri…

Although women have made tremendous strides toward gender equity within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields over the past couple of decades, reaching full equity will require the support of faculty colleagues. Department chairs and heads are crucial as the conduit between administration and faculty, yet they are…

Heads of department (HoDs) are commonly made responsible for implementing gender balance change in academia. Research has found that they are often reluctant to take ownership of this problem. Our study found that department heads in Norway did take on a lot of ownership for gender balance change and we divided their leadership approaches with…

Department heads play a critical role in executing school plans, particularly in adopting contemporary instructional methods, integrating technology, assessing student progress, and maintaining high standards of classroom interactions. They facilitate essential interactions within the classroom, spanning teacher-student, student-student, and…