When you think of the senior manager responsible for leading on Internationalisation in your university, you probably envisage someone in a job role like Pro Vice-Chancellor (International). In your mind’s eye, what may then take shape is a series of images of a person who spends a huge proportion of their time travelling across different time zones, representing the institution across varying cultures and continents.
This ambassadorial role demands an impressive repertoire of knowledge and expertise in order to deliver growth and improved rankings for the university. And, in addition to punishing schedules, this particular Pro Vice-Chancellor is expected to bring about internal change in their home institution: internationalising the curriculum, encouraging partnership working to boost research performance and transnational mobility, and ensuring effective working between professional services and academic faculty. It’s a job which is sometimes regarded as only sustainable for a relatively short period of time.
However, with support from an appropriate peer group, and professional development which enables leaders of internationalisation to succeed, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) can achieve enormous impact on the institution and its ability to realise its aspirations.
The Leadership Foundation conducted a short survey of internationalisation leaders across the world to test out their models, skills and implementation of their own internationalisation strategy. Of the respondents 78% identified that there was a need for a Global Leadership Programme for higher education.
They were clear on what such a programme should address:
- Making culture change happen
- Developing a robust methodology for measuring success
- Understanding different models of internationalisation
- Engaging with leaders from other sectors, both NGOs and commercial
All these are core to the design of the Leadership Foundation’s new Global Leadership Programme, which is now available to book online.
The programme’s intended approach of providing inspiring examples of practice from the higher education and other sectors, creating a space for reflection and critical review, and using tools such as the Global Balanced Scorecard which has been developed specifically for the Global Leadership Programme will respond directly to the development needs identified in the survey.
Participants taking part in the Global Leadership Programme will explore proven models of internationalisation and examine opportunities for growing university business transnationally. They will also have time to look at their own leadership effectiveness by taking part in 360-degree feedback and coaching as part of the newly developed ‘Global Higher Education Leadership diagnostic tool’.
Who is it for? Applicants should be the lead for internationalisation within their institution.
The faculty: The Global Leadership Programme is jointly led by Anne Sibbald, Fiona Sanford and Professor Paul Gentle – who between them have a wealth of leadership development and internationalisation planning experience. The team will be joined from internationalisation experts from higher education, the financial sector and the manufacturing industry.
For further information visit: www.lfhe.ac.uk/glp,
Contact Kyra.Ingrao@lfhe.ac.uk, Marketing and Communications Manager, Leadership Foundation
About the Leadership Foundation: The Leadership Foundation for Higher Education is a membership organisation based in the UK, with over 90% of UK universities in membership and engagement across all UK universities. We offer leadership development programmes and consultancy and coaching initiatives to the senior management teams of universities. Our flagship Top Management Programme counts over 60 of the UK current universities as part of its alumni.
About the Author: Professor Paul Gentle is a Key Associate at the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education (LF), where he is Programme Director for the LF’s flagship Top Management Programme and Global Leadership Programme. He has extensive experience of the higher education sector and working with senior leaders across the globe.
