Leadership of Practice Disciplines in Universities: The case of nurses and teachers
Author(s):
Andy Hudson (presenting / submitting) Fiona Ross Di Marks-Maran Val Collington Chris Tye
Conference:
ECER 2014
Network:
26. Educational Leadership
Format:
Paper

Session Information

26 SES 11 C JS, Leadership in Higher Education

Paper Session, Joint Session NW 22 and NW 26

Time:
2014-09-04
17:15-18:45
Room:
B030 Anfiteatro
Chair:
Lars Frode Frederiksen

Contribution

Abstract

This paper explores the paradigm shift that is taking place in higher education where the focus of the university is moving away from academic elitism towards a focus on a business model which is market-led and student driven and in working and engaging with industry and public services. 

This change requires a new type of university leadership where skills and experience in practice-based knowledge production, contract management, relationship building and partnership management are needed.

Using the results of research studies undertaken on academic leaders in practice disciplines in universities in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States, arguments will be presented as to why academic leaders of practice disciplines are well-placed to take a university-wide leadership role in the changing university.

Method

Commissioned by the Leadrrship foundation in Higher Education we set out to explore the scope and meaning of leadership in teacher education and nurse education in some UK Universities and selected European and US institutions. we were interested in the leadership journey , how leaders use influence to respond to challenges and manageambiguities across boundaries between commissioners,employers,practice and the university. A convenience sample was identified of UK heads of teacher education and nursing and selected individuals from Europe and the US drawing on professional and personal academic networks. We conducted interviews using open-ended questions,by telephone,and where practical, face to face and used framework analysis to capture and explore themes.

Expected Outcomes

Three core issues emergedfrom the data ;managing the transition to a leadership role; coping with conflicting agendas; and leading change and development. Leaders articulated what they sawas the attributes of leadershipin the advicethey offered an imaginary successor. The findingshighlight the contextual nature of leadershipand role complexity as leadersnavigate the dichotomybetweenresearchexcellenceand professional practiceat the same time as believingtheyt have to work harder to be noticed and establishauthority within the institution.

References

References Ball SJ (2012) Global Education: new policy networks and the neo-liberal imaginary. London, Routledge Burke, LM (2003) Integration into higher education: key implementers’ views on why nurse education moved into higher education, Journal of Advanced Nursing 42, 4, 382-389 Burke, LM (2006) The process of integration of nursing into higher education, Nurse Education Today 26, 1, 63-70 Coiffait, L (2012) (R)evolution in Higher Education. The Pearson Think Tank at pearsonblueskies.com/2012/revolution-in-higher-education/. Accessed 9 December 2012 D’Antonio, P (2004) Women, nursing and baccalaureate education in 20th century America, Journal of Nursing Scholarship 36, 4, 379-384 Department of Health (1989) Working for Patients: Education and Training – Working Paper 10. London: The Stationery Office Futures Project. 2004. The Future of Higher Education: Rhetoric, Reality, and the Risks of the Market. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Furlong J (2013). Education and Anatomy of the Discipline: rescuing the university project? London, Routledge Leitch .2006. Prosperity for all in the Global Economy: World Class Skills Leveille, D.E. 2006. Accountability in Higher Education: A Public Agenda for Trust and Cultural Change. Berkeley, CA: Centre for Studies in Higher Education Meerabeau, L (2005) The invisible (inaudible) woman: nursing in the English academy. Gender, Work and Organisation, 12, 2, 124-146 Ministry of Education and Science Sweden (1992) Act of Higher Education SFS992:1434. Stockholm, Ministry of Education and Science Sweden Ritchie, J and Spencer, L 1994. Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. In Analysing Qualitative Data. Eds. Bryman, A and Burgess, R London: Routledge Ross F (2012) Elsie Stephenson’s Legacy: nurse leaders in universities today. The tenth Elsie Stephenson Memorial Lecture March 12th 2012. The University of Edinburgh, Department of Nursing Studies. Ross F., D. Marks-Maran, C. Tye (2013a) A foot in two camps: an exploratory study of nurse leaders in universities. Nurse Education Today 33 (11), 1342-1346 Ross, F., D. Marks-Maran, C. Tye, V. Collington, A. Hudson. 2013b. Leadership of Practice Disicplines: The case of nurses and teachers. London. Leadership Foundation for Higher Education Stenhouse, L (1975) An Introduction to Curriculum Research and Development. London, Heinemann United Kingdom Central Council (1986) Project 2000: a new preparation for practice. London, UKCC Wenger, E (1998) Communities of Practice: learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Author Information

Andy Hudson (presenting / submitting)
Kingston University London
Education
Kingston Surrey
Fiona Ross
St Georges, Univesity of London, United Kingdom
Di Marks-Maran
Kingston University London, United Kingdom
Val Collington
Kingston University London, United Kingdom
Chris Tye
St Georges, Univesity of London, United Kingdom

Update Modus of this Database

The current conference programme can be browsed in the conference management system (conftool) and, closer to the conference, in the conference app.
This database will be updated with the conference data after ECER. 

Search the ECER Programme

  • Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
  • Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
  • Search for authors and in the respective field.
  • For planning your conference attendance, please use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference and the conference agenda provided in conftool.
  • If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.