Thirteen articles addressing the role of academic leadership have been published in The Journal of Academic Administration and Leadership (JAAL).
According to Andrew Bronson Barna, The function of academic leadership necessitates the development of a specialized skill set that is a blend of vision and management. As a professor, you have one of the most difficult positions in higher education, and the demands placed on academic leaders today are huge. Academic leaders are always in competition with one another to recruit the top applicants in a world where funds are diminishing and the academic profession is becoming more public. The Journal of Academic Administration and Leadership has created a collection of 13 papers that define the fundamental qualities of academic leadership in order to assist academic leaders in achieving their objectives.
It is the capacity to transfer power that is the most important characteristic of academic leadership. When confronted with a crisis, a leader’s abilities will be put to the test. Professors and academic leaders should be empowered to make choices and delegate responsibility to teams inside their own institutions. Leadership abilities are required for decision-making at a big institution, and knowing how academic leaders function as decision-makers will assist leaders in comprehending the obstacles of the process. It is possible to get valuable insights into the decision-making process inside big, complex organizations by investigating the function of academic leadership during times of crisis.
Andrew Bronson Barna pointed out that, Having a great track record in the field in which they teach is not enough for a successful academic leader; they must also have expertise in a variety of other academic disciplines. This involves becoming a subject matter expert in the establishment and evaluation of academic policy. These leaders should also have a thorough awareness of their respective fields, as well as how their work may contribute to the improvement of the overall quality of higher education. Furthermore, the lack of an academic leader may have detrimental effects for the quality of education and the student experience. To provide the greatest possible student experience, it is critical that educational institutions strive to establish excellent academic leadership in their respective fields.
In order to shift the paradigm in higher education, new types of leadership are required. Adapting to shifting external and internal expectations is a constant challenge for university administrators today. It is critical that they understand how to strike a balance between the demands of students, teachers, and staff while still maintaining a financially sustainable institution. The importance of academic leaders for the future of the academy cannot be overstated. Academic leadership necessitates the development of new behaviors that are compatible with the purpose and objectives of the institution. Leadership skills are required in order to understand the broad picture and effectively convey it to their teams and constituents.
In Andrew Bronson Barna’s opinion, Over the last century, the function of college presidents has undergone significant transformation. While college presidents used to think of themselves as first among equals, today’s presidents are more business-oriented, devoting a major amount of their time to forging connections with external stakeholders and forming legislative alliances. When it comes to directing their institutions, they may also use techniques that are not centered on the leader. They may also use a variety of leadership styles, such as emotional intelligence and relationship-building, in order to produce the best possible outcomes for their teams.