Staying agile is the key to effective HE leadership

Agile leadership helps institutions handle change and become more resilient. However, given that academics are primarily trained as scholars rather than as managers or leaders, how can leaders demonstrate the qualities needed for this kind of approach? This resource offers advice on navigating the unexpected, drawing on insights from my experience in the DIES International Dean’s Course, which I participated in from 2022 to 2023.

The quick-fix trap: reactive leadership 

Regular changes in governmental priorities, rules and regulations present challenges for many higher education institutions. While not all of them can be anticipated, a “wait and see” approach will cause institutions to lag behind.

For instance, imagine there is a policy change that affects one of your departments’ curricula. In this situation, the department head is obliged to put aside research projects and potential collaborative opportunities to meet this new standard. They might feel ambushed and mentally drained. They may even be discouraged from pursuing other research projects or potential collaborations in the future because they think they must save their energy to solve any other issues that come up.  

A lack of long-term planning fosters an environment where faculty members and staff are not encouraged to innovate or take calculated risks to adapt to changes. This is a recipe for burnout. 

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From reactive to resilient

Most of the time, the changes new ministers make reflect global trends in higher education. Therefore, we must ensure faculty members stay updated. To do this, consider organising seminars and workshops by experts on global education shifts, such as hybrid learning and student-centred teaching practices. You could also organise inter-institutional exchange programmes in which faculty members collaborate to develop curricula with faculty from other partner institutions. Additionally, check if there is funding available to offer grants to faculty members keen to conduct research on curricular development and the implementation of innovative teaching methods. 

Doing short-, mid- and long-term planning also prepares institutions for a range of possible changes. In my faculty, one new policy mandates integrating more industry-based internships and community service projects into the curriculum. Therefore, the short-term plan is to identify where industry-based internships and community projects could be integrated into the curriculum. The next steps are to work on faculty members’ professional development to adjust their courses to meet these new requirements and build partnerships with businesses by making use of the faculty’s alumni network. Conducting regular systematic planning and forecasting workshops with the leadership team can help leaders anticipate changes and prepare effective responses.

Facilitating a feedback-driven environment 

Agile leaders will create an environment that invites timely and regular feedback. Feedback could come from faculty members, staff, students, alumni, employees and the organisations our graduates are hired into post-study. By gathering insights regularly on what works and what doesn’t, leaders can adjust their strategies. 

During the early months of the Covid pandemic, when leaders at my institution directed faculty members to move their teaching online, most of these instructors had never used any online teaching tools. To support them, the academic vice dean for the Faculty of Humanities hosted regular feedback sessions where faculty members could share their experiences, negative and positive. Instructors also conducted regular surveys with students to get their input.  

This led to the identification of several areas for improvement, such as the length of the sessions. Students thought these were too long, making it hard for them to focus. Faculty leaders then held workshops for lecturers on how to shorten and make their sessions more interactive. They also encouraged instructors to complement the online sessions with asynchronous activities. As a result, students and faculty members experienced a smoother transition to online learning.

Being agile is not just about managing changes as they come. It is about actively preparing for the unexpected, so our institutions will not only survive but also thrive. By staying ahead of trends and creating an environment that encourages feedback, agile leaders can navigate change and disruptions with greater confidence. 

Shuri Mariasih Gietty Tambunan is a lecturer in the English studies programme at the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Humanities.

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