This study explores the experiences of department heads at Haramaya University, Ethiopia with regard to academic leadership perceptions and practices. Qualitative research approach with phenomenological strategy was employed in this study. Five department heads were selected using purposive sampling techniques. Semistructured interview,…

Athletes qualify as 'elite' in club, university and national arenas, in terms of their relatively high level of ability and sporting quality. Academic staff in universities have been appointed to their posts based on their intellectual and practical research and teaching abilities/ qualities. Athletes are managed by professional sports coaches and…

Universities have become toxic sites characterised by anxiety, depression and humiliation. Following new managerialism, leadership and management in universities have been driven by the mandate of achieving efficiency, which has led to the implementation of stringent performance management systems, increasing accountability and authoritarianism.…

The concept of innovation in the administrative processes of higher education institutions (HEIs) remains topical due to the continuous call on providers of higher education to develop new ideas and practices that are aimed at meeting the growing needs of students and other interest groups. Focusing on the transformational leadership theory as the…

This report is part of the International Study of Leadership Development in Higher Education project (ISLDHE) project which is examining leadership development for university leaders. This paper presents an update to our original exploration of the literature about university contexts and leadership development, but also compares the themes as…

This paper explored women departmental heads' leadership experiences in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper highlighted aspects of their care and coping mechanisms in terms of them working in virtual spaces. Most scholars have examined employees' effects and challenges while working from home during a lockdown. However, most…

Chief academic officers (CAOs) of independent colleges and universities are the principal leaders of their institutions' academic programs. As such, they oversee the core teaching, research, and academic service functions of their colleges and universities. They also often serve as the seconds-in-command of their institutions after the president;…

It has been argued that universities are changing into becoming more professional as organizations, and this paper investigates this claim by exploring the emergence and tasks of communication departments in modern universities. Examination of universities in six Baltic and Nordic countries shows that communication departments are working closely…

This study aimed to understand the lived experience of department chairs in a Canadian university context. Guided by phenomenological inquiry, 21 individual interviews of experienced academic chairs were analyzed. Findings focus on the rewards and challenges of the position, advice for professors interested in taking on this role, and the systemic…

This article features a case study from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a large, public, urban, research university, in which challenges in administering financial aid for study abroad early in the COVID-19 pandemic led the Education Abroad and Student Financial Services teams to revisit practices and protocols. This article describes…

While faculty trust in administrators has been studied in K-12 schools and four-year higher education institutions (HEIs), we know little about how community college faculty view of trust. Therefore, we examine trust between community college faculty and their administrators using a multicomponent definition to determine which factors of trust are…

This book examines tensions and challenges in the professional lives and identities of contemporary academics. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted over seven years with academics in the United States and the United Kingdom, the authors analyze the experiences of four types of academics as they respond and adjust to the demands of…

The number of international visiting scholars engaged in research and teaching at institutions of higher education in the United States has increased significantly over the past two decades. While there is an extensive body of literature dedicated to understanding the acculturation process of international students, very little research has…

This study aims to examine the perceptions of the middle management (deans and heads of departments) and academicians on the dilemma order versus freedom at faculty management. It discusses how this dilemma is seen at an operational level and how it can be managed at university where both parties--with a managerial role or not--are…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, universities around the globe have taken numerous extraordinary measures and implemented many changes to their strategic, operational, and academic activities. Currently, there is a transformation taking place from the emergency decision-making in the early stages of the pandemic towards reflection and…