1. Harpreet Singh B.Venkatesh Kumar
Higher Education Leadership in the context of RUSA UKIERI – MHRD Consultative Workshop 20th-21st November
Harpreet Singh
B.Venkatesh Kumar

2. Global Challenges in Higher Education
Escalating market pressures
Increasing unfunded mandates
Declining public support
Intensifying legislative oversight
Accelerating pace of change
Global competition

3. Challenges facing India’s State University System
Governance Issues
Planning deficit
Quality of teaching and research
Faculty shortages
Financing problems
Academic and examination reforms
Availability of higher educational institutions

4. Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Abhiyan- Key Objectives
Improve the quality of existing state institutions by conformity to prescribed norms and standards and adoption of accreditation as a mandatory quality assurance framework
Introduce facilitating institutional structure for planning and monitoring at state level, promoting autonomy in state universities and improving governance in institutions.
Expand the institutional base by creating additional capacity in existing institutions and establishing new institutions
Promote research and innovation by establishing by promoting existing universities into research universities
Create opportunities for states to undertake reforms in the affiliating system
Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions
Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by facilitating access to high quality institutions in un‐served & underserved areas.
Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities to socially deprived communities

5. Strategic Focus Governance Financing
Incentivize the States to increase public investment in higher education
Provide flexibility and autonomy to the States in the process of planning and execution
Norm and performance based funding
Ensure the preparation of strategic plans for State higher education system
Governance
Creation of a State Council for Higher Education
Human Resource policy changes (Academic and Non academic staff)
Process re-engineering: Finance facilitation and approvals from government

6. Strategic Focus Quality Access Addressing the affiliation model
Mandatory accreditation
Focus on Research & Innovation
Encourage good colleges to become autonomous and/or be upgraded to universities
Access
To ensure one Degree College within every district
Opening of new Universities and expansion/upgradation of existing universities
Strengthening of existing colleges including enhancement of capacity

7. Leadership Development in India : an important RUSA priority
A large part of RUSA’s success will depend on leaders
RUSA: Financing + Governance-> Quality
Good leader-> improved governance + strategic and improved resource generation -> quality of institutions
Good leader can transform institution that is not performing well
Prevalent leadership deficit will hinder achievement of RUSA goals and improvement of institutions
Therefore developing HE leadership is a core RUSA priority and fundamental to its success

8. Leadership Development Project under RUSA
-> Development of managerial skills that are relevant to all administrative levels
Professionalizing academic administrations and building capacities relevant to efficient management and strategic planning.
Develop skills in utilizing institutional research in planning and decision making

9. Leadership Development Project under RUSA
-> Develop leadership skills of incumbent leaders and potential leaders :
Enhance leadership and management skills of existing functionaries
Leadership pipeline: groom potential leaders
Build leadership skills of leaders of nascent institutions: Crucial for Benchmarking of standards and academic growth
Institutionalize system whereby good leaders and meritorious persons are given their due
In summary, Create a pool of good leaders

10. Important tasks of leaders under RUSA
Planning: Preparation of Institutional Plan
Lead research improvement and innovation
Faculty improvement
Supervise MIS and documentation and monitor institutional quality - the importance of Institutional Research
Strategic data based decision making
Making best use of increased institutional autonomy
Strategic resource generation
Team Building
Seizing opportunities and planning for long term growth

11. Important tasks of leaders under RUSA
Establish efficient and transparent institutional governance and administration
Effective recruitment of teachers and staff: Merit and excellence should be the only considerations.
Create enabling environment for excellent ideas and functionaries. Abjure patronage, favoritism
Groom future leaders
Establish and inculcate a culture of accountability
Promoting and guiding excellence in teaching and research

12. Poser
Is there one thing that he could do as the leaders of his university to guarantee he would be successful in his new role?
President of a University, Summer of , in Harvard

13. Response
“Become the living embodiment of the mission of the institution you serve”
“No guarantee ……….but institutions and leaders that are mission driven and democratic in nature were more likely to weather tough times successfully than those with less clear direction and purpose”
…..late David Riesman, distinguished
American Sociologists, Harvard, 1994

14. Three types of Higher Education Leadership
Research,
Extremely important and should be on everyone's radar
Ability to do good research work and possession of research vision
Talent hunt and ability to collaborate
Educational( Faculty),
Innovation
Technology based teaching and learning
Integration of research and teaching
And administrative, with some positions combining two or all three types.
Managerial skills
typically involves hiring (and sometimes firing), resource
allocation, alumni engagement and managing the changing and
complex roles of faculty, staff and students.

15. Principles of Academic Leadership
Conflicting Goals, Ambiguous Aims and ever changing boundaries ( Gross & Grambsch, 1974 and Cohen and March, 1974)
Importance of being Mission Driven – broad, overall long term purpose of the institution ( Welzenbach, 1982)
Adjusting to an Ever-Changing Environment ( Chait, Ryan and Talyor, 2005)
Importance of Democratic Partnerships in Advancing the Academy – “inextricably bound” (Kerr, 1964)

16. Why Multi-level Leadership? (Ngo Tuyet Mai )
A Multi-level Model Of
University Leadership
MACRO DECISION LEVEL
(Government/Ministry Leadership Actions
MESO IMPLEMENTATION LEVEL
(Executive University Leadership Actions)
MICRO IMPLEMENTATION LEVEL
(Departmental Leadership Actions )

17. Why refuse to lead? It takes away from research and education.
It is hard to gear back into research and education later on.
Leadership requires too much politics, both within an organization and outside.
Leadership usually requires fundraising of some kind.
Leadership requires a skill set you may not have including managing staff and central budgets.

18. Why Lead? Significant impact on the product of the organization.
Improve the educational and research infrastructure,
Foster development of faculty, staff and students to improve the quality of work as well as morale.
Improving the quality of education and student mentoring can result in higher student retention and more successful graduates, which is a key factor in how we are judged.
leadership provides an opportunity and resources for effecting such changes - improving diversity, increasing the focus on teaching and learning, developing centers, or increasing interdisciplinary work,
Finally, leadership offers an opportunity for you to grow professionally, providing new experiences and new contacts - catalyst for organizational change

19. Functions of Leader
Leadership is at the core of Performance Management. Following are the functions of a leader:
Strategic: Define vision or goal, strategize to overcome constraints and exploit strengths, put resources to best use, use performance data in decision making (University of Mumbai, St. Xavier’s Colleges)
Integrative: Integrate separate units, individuals and teams towards achievement of goals. Planning and communication are important. (University of Calcutta)
Transformational: Create new vision. Transform organization to achieve vision. Transform organizations stuck in the rut of inertia. Get people out of their comfort zone and inspire confidence. ( University of Hyderabad, Presidency University)

20. Mentoring for academic leadership
Need for more mentors to groom young faculty to take leadership roles
Need to increase talent pipeline through mentoring
Many of the skills required for academic administrative leadership . Some can be acquired on the job. But others require training….

21. Leadership development for Academic administrators: Content
Understanding structure and function and their relationship with the external environment.
Understanding internal processes of decision making and policy and implementation.
Skills for interpersonal relationships and conflict management.

22. Content – Broad Issues
Good Governance – accountability and transparency, how to implement them
Efficiency, effectiveness and transparency in routine administrative tasks
Strategic planning; institutional planning, assessment, improvement – budgeting and resource mobilization,
Conflict Management, problem solving and negotiation
Organizational communication, delegation of power and decision making
Human resource management, motivation, leadership styles
Performance management, managing for results and organizational integration
Information management,
Legal and ethical issues
Structures in higher education sector and policy contours

23. Content of leadership development: Four levels/types of modules
Type/level
Target Group
Focus & Content
Advanced leadership training
VC/Pro-VC, Governing Council members – Scholar leaders and enlightened visionaries
Policy makers & high level administrators at state and central government levels (including senior functionaries of intermediate bodies)
Skills relevant to the highest levels of leadership such as transformational and policy interface.
Intermediate Leadership training
Registrars, Controller of Exams, Finance and Account
Mid-career administrators at state, intermediate bodies and central government
Managerial skills and good governance for greater efficiency and effectiveness

24. Content of leadership development: Four levels/types of modules (contd
Type/level
Target Group
Focus & Content
Basic leadership training
Deans, Department Chairs in Universities
Principals, Vice Principals, HoDs in Colleges
Skills relevant to manage leadership positions in Schools/Department and Colleges
Introduction to management and leadership
Individuals who have demonstrated leadership potential – young and mid career faculty members
Individuals who have demonstrated leadership potential – young and mid career administrators (such as Asst. Registrars)
Basic principles of management and leadership for individuals about to assume greater leadership responsibilities

25. Components of HE leadership Programme
Eight Regional Conclaves/consultation
Dissemination of Information on RUSA (focus on clarifying actions and reforms to be taken up by states, esp related to preparation of HR systems and processes)
Participatory Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning : inputs from stakeholders on felt needs and critical gaps + networking with stakeholders and mutual learning

26. Components of HE leadership Programme
Leadership Development Template
Stakeholder inputs expressed in conclaves would shape leadership development template.
Template would be used for development of customized programmes and modules for different levels of leaders (mentioned earlier) and also for leaders in different academic programmes/fields.

27. Delivery Methods in HE Leadership Programme
Mainly interactive Pedagogy
Workshop
Presentation
Case study analysis
Small group activities
Experience sharing
Online modules/course materials
Forums for participant interaction

28. International Collaboration
International best practices introduced in curriculum through collaborations with Yale University ( in partnership with IIT K and IIM K, Penn State and Rutgers University ( with TISS under OSI),
Design team will work with advisory committee drawn from International Higher Education Forum

29. Future Commitments under Leadership Development Program (RUSA)
All those undergoing training under this scheme should be provided appropriate leadership positions at the institutional level in accordance with established procedures.
All the participants of such training programmes shall be tracked periodically to ensure that the knowledge acquired from such programmes is applied at the institutional level.
Preference in selection for training shall be given to those faculty/educational administrators who are below the age of 50 and have demonstrated leadership skills in their respective institutions.
Women faculty shall be highly encouraged to participate in this program.

30. Dysfunctional to Functional Institution: Role of Leadership
Continual Crisis,
Vulnerable and failing
Sound, Authentic, Creative, Empowering leadership
Healthy, Productive, Sustainable Academic Institutions and Programs

31. Successful Higher Educations in 21st Century – 3 key characteristics
Institutional decisions are made on a core mission and a set of values
Institutional adaptation to environmental changes is in alignment with mission and core values
Institutional leaders seek to create and foster democratic partnerships with myriad constituents

32. Successful Educational Leaders Hold the Key to Unlock a Vision
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