2 - Academic Programme Leadership in African Higher Education: A Phenomenological Reflection
Corresponding Author(s) : Lester Brian Shawa
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 17 No. 1-2 (2019): Journal of Higher Education in Africa: Issue on Higher Education Leadership in Africa
Abstract
Given a dearth of literature on the role of middle-level academics in African higher education, this article contributes to the understanding of the roles played by this cadre. In this article, I draw on my lived experiences of leadership as an academic programme coordinator in higher education studies located at a higher education unit at a South African university. I pose two phenomenological questions: 1) how is it to be an academic programme leader, from my lived experiences of leadership at a South African university? and 2) what do my lived experiences of academic programme leadership reveal about programme leadership at a South African university? To answer these questions, I utilised a personal phenomenological reflection by drawing on concepts of lifeworld and being. The results showed that academic programme leadership was demanding and required paying attention to systemic contexts of universities as well as developing skills such as decision-making, curriculum development and pedagogical leading, and communication. These findings imply a need for careful planning of university structures, such as the locus of higher education units and their operations, a clearer definition of the role of academic programme leaders/coordinators and capacity building for academic programme leaders in South African universities.
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- Black, A., 2015, ‘Qualities of Effective Leadership in Higher Education’, Open Journal of Leadership, Vol 4, pp. 54-56.
- Black, A., Groombridge, J.J. & Jones, C.G., 2011, ‘Leadership and Conservation Effectiveness: Finding a better way to lead’, Conservation Letters, Vol 4, pp. 329-339.
- Bolden, R., Gosling, J., O’Brien, A., Peters, K., Ryan, M. & Haslam, A., 2012, ‘Academic Leadership: Changing Conceptions, Identities and Experiences in UK Higher Education’, Research and Development Series, Summary Report to the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, London: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
- Briggs, A., 2000, ‘Academic Middle Managers in Further Education: Reflecting on Leadership’, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, Vol 6, No. 2, pp. 223-236.
- Bryman, A., 2007, ‘Effective Leadership in Higher Education: Summary of Findings’, Research and Development Series, London: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
- Clegg, S., 2008, ‘Academic Identities Under Threat?’, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 329-345.
- De Boer, H., Goedegebuure, L. & Meek, L., 2009, ‘The Changing Nature of Academic Middle Management: A Framework of Analysis’, in. V.L. Meek, L. Goedegebuure, R. Santiago & T. Carvalho, The Changing Dynamics of Higher Education Middle Managers, Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 229-241.
- Detsky, A., 2010, ‘How to be a Good Academic Leader’, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Vol. 26, No.1, pp. 88-90.
- Finlay, L., 1999, ‘Applying Phenomenology in Research: Problems, Principles and Practice’, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, Vol.62, No.7, pp. 299-306. How, A., 2003, Critical Theory, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Jenkins, W., 2015, ‘Servant Leadership Programme: A Phenomenological Study’, Unpublished Doctor of Education Thesis, Columbus State University.
- Ladyshewsky, R. & Flavel, H., 2011, ‘Transfer of Training in an Academic Leadership Programme for Programme Coordinators’, Education Management Administration and Leading, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 127-147.
- Ladyshewsky, R. & Jones, S., 2007, ‘Academic Leadership and the Course Coordinator’, Proceedings of AUQF2007 Evolution and Renewal in Quality Assurance, 11-13 July 200, Hobart, Australia: Australian Universities Quality Agency.
- Macfarlane, B., 2007, ‘Defining and Rewarding Academic Citizenship: The Implications for University Promotions Policy’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Vol.29, No. 3, pp. 261-273.
- Middlehurst, R., Gorehan, H. & Woodfield, S., 2009, ‘Why Research Leadership in Higher Education? Exploring contributions from the UK’s Leadership Foundation for Higher Education’, Leadership, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 311-328.
- Murphy, M., & Curtis, W. 2013, ‘The Micro-Politics of Micro-Leadership: Exploring the role of Program Leader in English Universities’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 34-44.
- Nguyen, T., 2013, ‘Middle-Level Academic Management: A Case Study on the Roles of the Heads of Department at a Vietnamese University’, Tertiary Education and Management, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 1-15.
- Pepper, C, & Giles, W., 2015, ‘Leading in Middle Management in Higher Education’. Management in Education, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 46-52.
- Spier, J., 2018, Heidegger and the Lived Experience of Being a University Educator, Adelaide: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Thomas-Gregory, A., 2014, ‘Professional Identities of Middle Managers: A Case Study in the Faculty of Health and Social Care’, Education Management Administration and Leadership, Vol. 42, No. 5, pp. 620-639.
- Van derMescht, H., 2004, ‘Phenomenology in Education: A Case Study in Education Leadership’, Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 1-16.
- Wolverton, M., Gmelch, W. H., Wolverton, M. L. & Sarros, J. C., 1999, ‘A Comparison of Department Chair Tasks in Australia and the United States’, Higher Education, 38(3), pp. 333–350.
- Yankech, J., 2015, ‘Trust within Higher Education Consortia: A Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Directors and Leaders’, Unpublished Doctor of Philosophy Thesis, University of Nebraska.
- Zutshi, A., Creed, A., Ringer, A. & Osborne, A., 2013, ‘Subject Coordinator Role and Responsibility: Experiences of Australian Academics’, Higher Education Review, Vol. 46, No.1, pp. 56-80.
References
Black, A., 2015, ‘Qualities of Effective Leadership in Higher Education’, Open Journal of Leadership, Vol 4, pp. 54-56.
Black, A., Groombridge, J.J. & Jones, C.G., 2011, ‘Leadership and Conservation Effectiveness: Finding a better way to lead’, Conservation Letters, Vol 4, pp. 329-339.
Bolden, R., Gosling, J., O’Brien, A., Peters, K., Ryan, M. & Haslam, A., 2012, ‘Academic Leadership: Changing Conceptions, Identities and Experiences in UK Higher Education’, Research and Development Series, Summary Report to the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, London: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
Briggs, A., 2000, ‘Academic Middle Managers in Further Education: Reflecting on Leadership’, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, Vol 6, No. 2, pp. 223-236.
Bryman, A., 2007, ‘Effective Leadership in Higher Education: Summary of Findings’, Research and Development Series, London: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
Clegg, S., 2008, ‘Academic Identities Under Threat?’, British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 329-345.
De Boer, H., Goedegebuure, L. & Meek, L., 2009, ‘The Changing Nature of Academic Middle Management: A Framework of Analysis’, in. V.L. Meek, L. Goedegebuure, R. Santiago & T. Carvalho, The Changing Dynamics of Higher Education Middle Managers, Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 229-241.
Detsky, A., 2010, ‘How to be a Good Academic Leader’, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Vol. 26, No.1, pp. 88-90.
Finlay, L., 1999, ‘Applying Phenomenology in Research: Problems, Principles and Practice’, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, Vol.62, No.7, pp. 299-306. How, A., 2003, Critical Theory, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Jenkins, W., 2015, ‘Servant Leadership Programme: A Phenomenological Study’, Unpublished Doctor of Education Thesis, Columbus State University.
Ladyshewsky, R. & Flavel, H., 2011, ‘Transfer of Training in an Academic Leadership Programme for Programme Coordinators’, Education Management Administration and Leading, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 127-147.
Ladyshewsky, R. & Jones, S., 2007, ‘Academic Leadership and the Course Coordinator’, Proceedings of AUQF2007 Evolution and Renewal in Quality Assurance, 11-13 July 200, Hobart, Australia: Australian Universities Quality Agency.
Macfarlane, B., 2007, ‘Defining and Rewarding Academic Citizenship: The Implications for University Promotions Policy’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Vol.29, No. 3, pp. 261-273.
Middlehurst, R., Gorehan, H. & Woodfield, S., 2009, ‘Why Research Leadership in Higher Education? Exploring contributions from the UK’s Leadership Foundation for Higher Education’, Leadership, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 311-328.
Murphy, M., & Curtis, W. 2013, ‘The Micro-Politics of Micro-Leadership: Exploring the role of Program Leader in English Universities’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 34-44.
Nguyen, T., 2013, ‘Middle-Level Academic Management: A Case Study on the Roles of the Heads of Department at a Vietnamese University’, Tertiary Education and Management, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 1-15.
Pepper, C, & Giles, W., 2015, ‘Leading in Middle Management in Higher Education’. Management in Education, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 46-52.
Spier, J., 2018, Heidegger and the Lived Experience of Being a University Educator, Adelaide: Palgrave Macmillan.
Thomas-Gregory, A., 2014, ‘Professional Identities of Middle Managers: A Case Study in the Faculty of Health and Social Care’, Education Management Administration and Leadership, Vol. 42, No. 5, pp. 620-639.
Van derMescht, H., 2004, ‘Phenomenology in Education: A Case Study in Education Leadership’, Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 1-16.
Wolverton, M., Gmelch, W. H., Wolverton, M. L. & Sarros, J. C., 1999, ‘A Comparison of Department Chair Tasks in Australia and the United States’, Higher Education, 38(3), pp. 333–350.
Yankech, J., 2015, ‘Trust within Higher Education Consortia: A Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Directors and Leaders’, Unpublished Doctor of Philosophy Thesis, University of Nebraska.
Zutshi, A., Creed, A., Ringer, A. & Osborne, A., 2013, ‘Subject Coordinator Role and Responsibility: Experiences of Australian Academics’, Higher Education Review, Vol. 46, No.1, pp. 56-80.