5 - Junior Academics within Middle Level Academic Leadership in Emerging Universities in Nigeria
Corresponding Author(s) : Babatunde Joshua Omotosho
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
One of the emerging developments within middle level academic leadership in Nigerian universities relates to the inclusion of academics who are at the very beginning of their careers within middle level leadership. The term junior academics is used here to refer to academics who are on staff development terms, registered for doctoral studies, or just graduated from doctoral studies and starting the process of being socialized into institutional academic cultures. In most emerging (3rdgeneration) universities, such academics are often allocated academic and administrative roles that would otherwise be performed by middle level academics in well-established universities. This trend, occurring majorly among emerging universities, appears to be a response to the dearth of middle level academics to occupy middle level leadership positions. While this development appears to serve as an emergent response to the challenges on hand, the implications on middle level academic leadership, university administration and governance as a whole need to be critically explored. This article interrogates on how junior academics serving within middle level leadership came to be, implications on university leadership, and finally a conclusion on how this challenge can be addressed to pave the way for effective middle level academic leadership within university administration.
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- Ademola, E.O., Ogundipe, A.T. & Babatunde, W.T., 2014, ‘Students’ Enrolment into Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria: The Influence of the Founder’s Reputation –A Case Study’, Computing, Information Systems, Development Informatics & Allied Research Journal, vol. 5, no. 3, September 2014 – www.cisdijournal.net
- Aliyu, M.S., 2005, ‘An examination of the causes of Brain drain in Nigerian Universities’, A case study of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria, MBA thesis, Ahmadu Bello University.
- Austin, A.E., 2003, ‘Creating a Bridge to the Future: Preparing New Faculty to Face Changing Expectations in a Shifting Context’, Review of Higher Education, vol. 26, pp. 119-144.
- Briggs, A.R.J., 2007, ‘Exploring Professional Identities: Middle Leadership in Further Education Colleges’, School Leadership & Management, vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 471-485.
- Clegg, S., & McAuley, J., 2005, ‘Conceptualising Middle Management in Higher Education: A Multifaceted Discourse’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 19–34.
- Deem, R., & Hillyard, S., 2002, ‘Making Time for Management – the Careers and Lives of Manager-Academics in UK Universities’, in G. Crow & S.J. Heath, eds., Social Conceptions of Time, pp. 126-43, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
- Deem, R., & Lucas, L., 2007, ‘Research and Teaching Cultures in Two Contrasting UK Policy Contexts: Academic Life in Education Departments in Five English and Scottish Universities’, Higher Education, vol. 54, pp. 115-133.
- Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), 2012, Reports on Need Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities, Abuja.
- Filan, G.L., & Seagren, A.T., 2003, ‘Six Critical Issues for Midlevel Leadership in Postsecondary Settings’, New Directions for Higher Education, vol. 124, pp. 21-31.
- Floyd, A., & Dimmock, C., 2011, ‘“Jugglers”, “Copers” and “Strugglers”: Academics’ Perceptions of Being a HOD in a Post-1992 UK University and How It Influences their Future Careers’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 387-99.
- Gleeson, D., & Shain, F., 1999, ‘Managing Ambiguity: Between Markets and Managerialism – A Case Study of Middle Managers in Further Education’, The Sociological Review, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 461-490.
- Kogan, M., Khawas, E. & Moses, I., 1994, Staffing in Higher Education. London: OECD.
- Lawal, I., 2018 (6 December), ‘National Assembly’s move for more public higher institutions amidst inadequate funding’, The Guardian. Retrieved from https://guardian.ng/ features/between-more-public-higher-institutions-and-inadequate-funding/
- Leader, G., 2004, ‘Further Education Middle Managers: Their Contribution to the Strategic Decision-Making Process’, Educational Management Administration & Leadership, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 67-79.
- Menges, R., ed., 1999, Faculty in New Jobs: A Guide to Settling In, Becoming Established, and Building Institutional Support, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), 2011, ‘Digest of Statistics on Colleges of Education and other NCE Awarding Institutions in Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria.
- Nwachukwu, C., 1977, ‘Issues and Problems of Financing Education in Nigeria’, The Journal of Negro Education, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 219-229.
- Obasi, N.I. & Eboh, E.C., 2001, ‘Cost sharing crises in Nigerian universities: Policy lesson from an empirical study’, Research Report submitted to the Association of African Universities (AAU), Accra, Ghana. Retrieved from www.aau.org.
- Robins, S.P., 2006, Organisational Behaviour, translated by P. Ali and M. Arabi, Tehran, Iran: Cultural Research and Studies Institute.
- Sabaghian, Z., 2009, University Culture as an Investigational Frame: New Approaches in Higher Education, Tehran, Iran: Social and Cultural Studies Research Center Publications.
- Santiago, R., Carvalho, T., Amaral, A. & Meek, V. L., 2006, ‘Changing Patterns in the Middle Management of Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Portugal’, Higher Education, vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 215–250.
- Sarros, J. C., Gmelch, W. H. & Tanewski, G., 1997, ‘The role of department head in Australian universities’, Higher Education Research & Development, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 283-292.
- Sawyerr, A., 2004, ‘Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues’, African Studies Review, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 1-59.
- Shein, E.H., 1992, Organisational Culture and Leadership, San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.
- Teferra, D., 2004, ‘African Higher Education: Challenges for the 21st Century’, Higher Education, vol. 47, pp. 21-50.
- Vanguard, 2016, ‘We need 100,000 new lecturers for Nigerian Universities’. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/we-need-100000-new-lecturers-for-nigerian-varsities-asuu/
- Whitt, E.J., 1991, ‘Hit the ground running: Experiences of new faculty in a school of education’, Review of Higher Education, vol. 14, pp. 177-197.
- Wolverton, M. & Gmelch, W.H., 2002, College Deans: Leading from Within, Westport, CT: American Council on Education, Oryx Press.
- Yizengaw, T., 2008, Challenges Facing Higher Education in Africa and Lessons from Experience, Washington, DC: Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative.
- Zeleza, P.T., 2004, ‘The African Academic Diaspora in the United States and Africa: The Challenges of Productive Engagement’, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 261–277.
References
Ademola, E.O., Ogundipe, A.T. & Babatunde, W.T., 2014, ‘Students’ Enrolment into Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria: The Influence of the Founder’s Reputation –A Case Study’, Computing, Information Systems, Development Informatics & Allied Research Journal, vol. 5, no. 3, September 2014 – www.cisdijournal.net
Aliyu, M.S., 2005, ‘An examination of the causes of Brain drain in Nigerian Universities’, A case study of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria, MBA thesis, Ahmadu Bello University.
Austin, A.E., 2003, ‘Creating a Bridge to the Future: Preparing New Faculty to Face Changing Expectations in a Shifting Context’, Review of Higher Education, vol. 26, pp. 119-144.
Briggs, A.R.J., 2007, ‘Exploring Professional Identities: Middle Leadership in Further Education Colleges’, School Leadership & Management, vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 471-485.
Clegg, S., & McAuley, J., 2005, ‘Conceptualising Middle Management in Higher Education: A Multifaceted Discourse’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 19–34.
Deem, R., & Hillyard, S., 2002, ‘Making Time for Management – the Careers and Lives of Manager-Academics in UK Universities’, in G. Crow & S.J. Heath, eds., Social Conceptions of Time, pp. 126-43, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Deem, R., & Lucas, L., 2007, ‘Research and Teaching Cultures in Two Contrasting UK Policy Contexts: Academic Life in Education Departments in Five English and Scottish Universities’, Higher Education, vol. 54, pp. 115-133.
Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), 2012, Reports on Need Assessment of Nigerian Public Universities, Abuja.
Filan, G.L., & Seagren, A.T., 2003, ‘Six Critical Issues for Midlevel Leadership in Postsecondary Settings’, New Directions for Higher Education, vol. 124, pp. 21-31.
Floyd, A., & Dimmock, C., 2011, ‘“Jugglers”, “Copers” and “Strugglers”: Academics’ Perceptions of Being a HOD in a Post-1992 UK University and How It Influences their Future Careers’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 387-99.
Gleeson, D., & Shain, F., 1999, ‘Managing Ambiguity: Between Markets and Managerialism – A Case Study of Middle Managers in Further Education’, The Sociological Review, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 461-490.
Kogan, M., Khawas, E. & Moses, I., 1994, Staffing in Higher Education. London: OECD.
Lawal, I., 2018 (6 December), ‘National Assembly’s move for more public higher institutions amidst inadequate funding’, The Guardian. Retrieved from https://guardian.ng/ features/between-more-public-higher-institutions-and-inadequate-funding/
Leader, G., 2004, ‘Further Education Middle Managers: Their Contribution to the Strategic Decision-Making Process’, Educational Management Administration & Leadership, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 67-79.
Menges, R., ed., 1999, Faculty in New Jobs: A Guide to Settling In, Becoming Established, and Building Institutional Support, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), 2011, ‘Digest of Statistics on Colleges of Education and other NCE Awarding Institutions in Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria.
Nwachukwu, C., 1977, ‘Issues and Problems of Financing Education in Nigeria’, The Journal of Negro Education, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 219-229.
Obasi, N.I. & Eboh, E.C., 2001, ‘Cost sharing crises in Nigerian universities: Policy lesson from an empirical study’, Research Report submitted to the Association of African Universities (AAU), Accra, Ghana. Retrieved from www.aau.org.
Robins, S.P., 2006, Organisational Behaviour, translated by P. Ali and M. Arabi, Tehran, Iran: Cultural Research and Studies Institute.
Sabaghian, Z., 2009, University Culture as an Investigational Frame: New Approaches in Higher Education, Tehran, Iran: Social and Cultural Studies Research Center Publications.
Santiago, R., Carvalho, T., Amaral, A. & Meek, V. L., 2006, ‘Changing Patterns in the Middle Management of Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Portugal’, Higher Education, vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 215–250.
Sarros, J. C., Gmelch, W. H. & Tanewski, G., 1997, ‘The role of department head in Australian universities’, Higher Education Research & Development, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 283-292.
Sawyerr, A., 2004, ‘Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues’, African Studies Review, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 1-59.
Shein, E.H., 1992, Organisational Culture and Leadership, San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.
Teferra, D., 2004, ‘African Higher Education: Challenges for the 21st Century’, Higher Education, vol. 47, pp. 21-50.
Vanguard, 2016, ‘We need 100,000 new lecturers for Nigerian Universities’. Retrieved from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/we-need-100000-new-lecturers-for-nigerian-varsities-asuu/
Whitt, E.J., 1991, ‘Hit the ground running: Experiences of new faculty in a school of education’, Review of Higher Education, vol. 14, pp. 177-197.
Wolverton, M. & Gmelch, W.H., 2002, College Deans: Leading from Within, Westport, CT: American Council on Education, Oryx Press.
Yizengaw, T., 2008, Challenges Facing Higher Education in Africa and Lessons from Experience, Washington, DC: Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative.
Zeleza, P.T., 2004, ‘The African Academic Diaspora in the United States and Africa: The Challenges of Productive Engagement’, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 261–277.