As part of her research into educational leadership, Dr Sue Shepherd conducted a census of pro vice-chancellors. Predominantly white, male professors, Sue found their motivations go beyond a desire to give back to their institution at the end of a successful academic career. Unlike the previous generation of ‘reluctant’ managers, they have made a conscious decision to take an academic management path, prompted by a desire for a seat at the top table and to make a strategic contribution. These new full-time ‘career track’ PVCs are becoming increasingly divorced from day to day academic activities and thus a gulf is developing between management and the wider academic community.
Sue presented her findings at the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society annual conference this year.
You can read more in a recent article in the Guardian’s Higher Education Network section.