Transcript EUA Progress report since 18 December

Qualities of University Leaders in the
21st Century
Prof. Georg Winckler
President, European University Association
Rector, University Vienna, Austria
National University of Ireland, 2 December 2008
Universities in the 21st century
Governance and leadership
Qualities of Leaders of Universities
…2…
Universities in the 21st century
(Modernisation Agenda 2006)
1. broaden access on a more equitable basis
2. reach out to more research excellence
3. break down the barriers surrounding European
universities
4. provide the appropriate skills and competences for the
labour market
5. create genuine autonomy and accountability for
universities
6. reduce the funding gap so that 2% of GDP will be spent
on HE by 2015; besides 3% of GDP spent on R&D and
make funding more effective
…3…
Universities at the beginning of the 21st century
(Ralf Dahrendorf 2000) I
(1) Little sense to search for an idea of the
university, universities are „a ragbag of
institutions with no clearly defined
boundaries and no substantive core”, there
are many institutions turning information
into knowledge and providing (higher)
education.
(farewell to Wilhelm v. Humboldt, Cardinal
Newman, Karl Jaspers)
…4…
Universities at the beginning of the 21st century
(Rald Dahrendorf 2000) II
(2)Conditions under which universities will bloom:
- autonomy, with funding from a variety of
sources
- vibrant and innovative systems
(exploring new avenues of knowledge, new
theories and applications, new methods of
teaching, overcoming stagnation)
- openness for the world outside, outreach
- important issues of public concern are debated
…5…
Governance and leadership
Faculty tends to maintain „shared governance“
Trustees stress their role of ultimate responsibility and
want „business standards“
University leaders want flexibility, new institutional
strategies
Students as „silent stakeholders“
What are the optimal governance structures for the future?
Dependent on the mission and profile!
…6…
Qualities of Leaders (Shaw 1999)
interpersonal competence
(knowing the players, dealing with conflict)
group knowledge (understanding groups and
their dynamics)
transforming organizations
(implementing values, mission and vision)
dealing with the public
(speaking out loud, fund-raising)
…7…