Ardzejewska, K

Fernandez, Jane

Haddad, A

English

Avondale College: ResearchOnline@Avondale

Avondale College ResearchOnline@Avondale Administration and Research Conference Papers Administration and Research 3-2019 Higher Education Private Provider Quality Network (HEPP-QN) Academic Leadership Statement Jane Fernandez Avondale College of Higher Education, jane.fernandez@avondale.edu.au K Ardzejewska The University of Notre Dame Australia A Haddad Alphacrucis College Follow this and additional works at: https://research.avondale.edu.au/admin_conferences  Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Fernandez, J., Ardzejewska, K. & Haddad, A. (2019, March). HEPP-QN academic leadership statement. Statement presented at the HEPP-QN Online Forum, Avondale College of Higher Education, Cooranbong, Australia. This Conference Proceeding is brought to you for free and open access by the Administration and Research at ResearchOnline@Avondale. It has been accepted for inclusion in Administration and Research Conference Papers by an authorized administrator of ResearchOnline@Avondale. For more information, please contact alicia.starr@avondale.edu.au. Page | 1  Buidling the HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Statement 2019 Building the Academic Leadership Statement and Charter Fernandez J.,[Avondale College of Higher Education]  K Ardzjewska [University of Notre Dame, Australia], & A Haddad [Alphacrusis College] The Academic Leadership Statement was developed through several consultations with key stakeholders of the Higher Education Private Provider Quality Network [HEPP-QN].  The Statement responds to sector developments around the scope, challenges and constraints of academic leadership. It attempts to provide a guide to good academic leadership practice. The Statement grew out of the HEPP-QN’s Academic Leadership Project.  The Project was  a direct response to the findings of the 2016 HEPP-QN Pilot Study on Academic Leadership to ascertain prevailing attitudes to academic leadership amongst its member institutions. The findings provided a mandate for the Academic Leadership project and subsequently the Academic Leadership Statement and Charter.    The findings of the study have been valuable in identifying the perceptions of academic leaders across participating HEPP-QN institutions.   The Pilot Study surveyed. 51 Academic Leaders, of which 62% were male and 38% were female. In terms of role and rank, the study was predominantly represented by Deans who together with Executive Deans made up 34% of the sample group. 1. 88% of participants agreed that their institutions had a good understanding ofacademic governance.  81% of academic leader-participants were  satisfied with theirAcademic Boards with approximately 9% being very satisfied. There wasapproximately 72 % satisfaction with the respective Learning & Teaching Committeebut less than 50% indicated satisfaction with their School Boards. These findingsprovide opportunity for the HEPP-QN to support institutions to investigate further theperformance of their committees through both internal and external reviews2. The study revealed also a sound level of confidence in institutional quality assurancewith 66% agreeing and 11% strongly agreeing that that their institutions have a well-implemented quality assurance system. However, 20% remained neutral on thisquestion.3. While there was 77% agreement on a sound quality management system withininstitutions, the Pilot Study indicated moderate levels of satisfaction [66%] with coursereview performance. There was also a 20% neutral response with a 7% disagreementfor this question with some skipping this question. Page | 2  Buidling the HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Statement 2019 Given the importance of course review both in terms of academic governance and in terms of meeting the Standards, the 30% gap encouraged the scoping of the Academic Leadership Project to factor provisions to provide further consideration for the leadership and management of course review. While there was also substantial agreement that external input into courses through the course external advisory is available in most participating institutions, further work was required in benchmarking the terms of reference for these advisory bodies as well as benchmarking the policies and procedures around the governance of course review, especially in relation to closing the loop practices. 4. The Pilot study also revealed the disjuncture between the actual time spent onleadership functions as opposed to the priority rank allocated to each function. In terms of functions, leadership ranked the highest while performance management, though  rankedthe lowest in terms of importance of academic leadership functions, was regarded asabsorbing the most amount of time and focus. The importance of the other functions as ranked by participants are provided in Table 1 below.Table 1 I. Leading your team II. Guiding change & improvementIII. Developing effective systems & strategiesIV. Developing & motivating employeesV. Inspiring others VI. Delegating efficientlyVII. Performance Managing5. In terms of high priorities of academic leaders, the following 12 indicators were rated asof equal  value in Academic Leadershipa. Contributing to committeesb. Reviewing Academic Activitiesc. Dealing with complaintsd. Consulting with staffe. Facilitating evidence-based practice to support QAf. Fostering Innovation and Continuous Improvementg. Developing initiativesh. Sharing Professional Judgment with senior leadershipi. Change managementj. Providing insightful and instructive feedbackk. Reviewing staff performancel. Developing systems and processes6. The Pilot Study also revealed significant pressures on the work-life of academic leadersas indicated below in no particular order.a. Compliance and TEQSA-Related issuesb. Work-Life Imbalancec. Lack of clarity with roles and functionsPage | 3    Buidling the HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Statement 2019 d. Excessive administrative loadse. Poor work-flow, processes and systemsf. Resistance to changeg. Attrition and Completion Ratesh. Staffing Issuesi. Rapid changes in technologyj. Building and maintaining quality relationships with a wide group ofstakeholdersk. Pressures arising from increasing levels of intra-sector competition7. The Study indicated that Academic Leaders wanted to see changes that could impactmore positively on their roles as follows:a. Clarity and purpose of leadership rolesb. Better fit between the role and expertise of academic leadersc. Targeted training, resourcing, support and skill developmentd. Focus on Course Development Performancee. More effective delegation of workf. Greater support for strategic applicationg. More efficient systemsh. Support for innovation in learning and teachingi. Nested leadershipj. Less bureaucracy; More time for vision and planningk. Less marketing of coursesl. Skills for coping and managing demands for continuous improvementm. Reward and recognition of academic leadership rolesn. More coherent professional development frameworko. Greater ownership of compliance across institutionp. More opportunity for community engagement and networkingq. Addressing workload issuesBased on the findings of the HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP PILOT STUDY, eight priority clusters were nominated as desired anticipated outcomes for future referencing of which benchmarking and academic leadership development were significant. The Academic Leadership Statement and Charter is a direct response to these identified priorities.  As indicated, the Academic Leadership Statement and Charter [2019]   is an outworking  of the discussions that followed the HEPP-QN pilot study.  The Statement and Charter took 18 months to build and was workshopped on the HEPP-QN Online as well as National Forums over 2017 and 2018. It attests to the commitment of the HEPP-QN to evidence quality and professionalize academic leadership.  It responds to TEQSA’s invitation for serious consideration of the central importance of academic governance to successful higher education operations and the student and graduate experience. The HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Statement and Charter is intended to help provide clarity to academic leaders committed to developing a strong consensus statement on the guiding principles and performance indicators of good academic leadership.  Page | 4  HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENTThe HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Statement ©PURPOSE The Leadership Statement provides members of the HEPP-QN with a charter to guide their academic leadership practice.  The Statement asks that leaders in the academic sphere commit to the following:  1. Endorse and support a formal academic governance structure toensure effective review and monitoring of academic outcomes in the context of the Higher Education Threshold Standards Framework [2015] and relevant professional standards 2. Adopt an integrated approach to quality assurance by aligning thefaculty’s performance to committee-endorsed institutional policy and practice  3. Ensure a robust internal continuous improvement system supportedby an external system of review and validation 4. Apply a transparent and communicative approach with internal andexternal stakeholders 5. Support a distributed model of academic leadership through deployingshared leadership skills and collegial team-building strategies to connect faculties with the institution’s strategic goals and to the formal structures of academic governance. Definition of Academic Leadership Academic leadership is the art of leading a team in good academic governance to support the achievement of effective  academic outcomes measured by indicators of student success. It involves the application of a combination of capabilities and competencies encompassing the design, delivery, implementation and evaluation of all  Page | 5  HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENTfunctions of an academic, a team, a faculty, or an institution for the purpose of supporting quality student-centred higher education outcomes.  With an eye to continuous improvement, academic leadership involves both the leadership and management of higher education outcomes in the following areas: 1. Academic Governance2. Operational Administration3. Learning & Teaching4. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)5. Discipline Scholarship, Research and Supervision6. Course and Curriculum Design7. Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL)8. Innovation9. Academic Policy Development10. Capacity Building and Sustainability of Academic Roles11. Stakeholder and Community Engagement12. Continual Professional Development13. Application of Professional Learning for Academics14. Benchmarking and Quality Assurance15. Managing and Mitigating Academic RisksHEPP-QN Academic Leadership Charter To assist in implementing this Statement, we developed the HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Charter, which presents the focal points of academic leadership. The HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Charter is intended to guide leaders in good academic leadership practice as well as provides a self-assessment framework for shaping academic leadership practice.  Page | 6  HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENTFive references have either motivated or been useful in developing the HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Charter: 1. The findings of the HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Pilot Study [2016]2. Discussions on the HEPP-QN Online Forum and National Forums.3. Scott et al., “Learning Leaders in Times of Change”, May 20084. TEQSA’s Guidance Notes on Academic Leadership [2013]5. Bolman & Deal’s Four-Frame Modeli *The HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Charter adopts the four structural frames model proposed by Bolman and Deal (2013) as an organising framework for its focal points in academic leadership practice [See Table 1]. It unpacks four categories of work-practices and aligns relevant focal-points for academic leadership to each of the four-frames.1 HEPP-QN ADAPTATION OF FOUR-FRAME MODEL Table 1 and 2 indicate how the HEPP-QN has adapted the Four-Frame Model for its own use.  Table 1 provides a set of Key Performance Indicators for each frame. The KPIs assist in determining the relevant focal points of the Charter as outlined in Table 2.  TABLE 1 SYMBOLIC STRUCTURAL PEOPLE POLITICAL Aligning, linking and leading through institutional mission, ethos, purpose; rituals and symbolsAligning to purpose through enabling formal structures, clarifying roles and responsibilities supported by a robust QMS frameworkInvesting in Human Capital by developing talent and facilitating Staff Engagement;Encouraging strategic alliances and collaborations to reduce competition and encourage strategic cooperation through disseminating understanding of efficient outcomes, appropriate delegations and  good resource management practice1 The HEPP-QN Charter is aligned to Bolman & Deal’s four frames.     Page | 7  HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENTTable 2 HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Charter © Bolman & Deal Lenses Academic Leadership Focal Points Frame 1 Symbolic a) Academic leaders inspire, develop and communicate strategies foraligning the achievement of academic and scholarly outcomes to aninstitution’s mission and ethos through connecting academics to theinstitutions’ history, culture and value.b) Academic leaders champion academic and research integrity.c) Academic leaders uphold the pursuit of academic freedom.d) Academic leaders identify and own important rituals and symbols ofthe institution and help review and moderate the institution’sorganisational culture.Frame 2 Structural a) Academic leaders ensure the quality of academic and scholarlyoutcomes through supporting a formal academic governancestructuresb) Academic leaders assure a robust Quality Management frameworklinked to the institution’s strategic and operational plans whilereferencing the Threshold Standards, AQF and relevant ProfessionalStandards as appropriate.c) Academic leaders work within a quality management structure inmanaging course design, delivery and review.d) Academic leaders participate both formally and informally in ensuringthat the standards are met through continuous improvement.e) Academic leaders review and organise work-flows around efficientstructures and strategies and clearly-defined roles.f) Academic leaders identify good practice, address gaps, mitigate risksand ensure closing-the-loop on reporting through committees andorganised work-flows.g) Academic leaders ensure that the academic outcomes, studentexperience and quality frameworks are benchmarked and submittedregularly for external review and validation.Frame 3 People [HR] a) Academic leaders access professional development opportunities andapply professional learning in leading, mentoring and managing teams and individuals to improve good academic practice.b) Academic leaders engage in advising and recruiting talent into theinstitution as well as help build capacity for emerging leaders.c) Academic leaders facilitate the reward and recognition of leaders andacademic staff.d) Academic leaders support staff in fostering a student-outcome-focusedwork-practice.Frame 4 Political a) Academic leaders invest in building and sustaining strategicstakeholder relationshipsb) Academic leaders uphold appropriate delegations of authorityc) Academic leaders build collegial and effective workplaceenvironments.d) Academic leaders consult widely, defer to knowledge experts and seek consensus where appropriate.e) Academic leaders prioritise teambuilding while taking the lead ondifficult decisions.Page | 8  HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENTREFERENCES Bolman & Deal., Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and leadership”, cited in Libby V. Morris, ‘Management and Leadership in Colleges and Universities’, Innov High Educ (2016) 41:1–3  DOI 10.1007/s10755-015-9352-5. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10755-015-9352-5 HEPP-QN, ‘Academic Leadership Pilot Study’, 2016.  Scott, G., H Coates & M Anderson., ‘Learning Leaders in Times of Change’, University of Western Sydney and Australian Council for Educational Research, [May 2008]. TEQSA, ‘Guidance Notes on Academic Leadership’, 2014, https://www.teqsa.gov.au/latest-news/publications/teqsa-guidance-note-academic-leadership Page | 9  HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENTENDORSEMENT: ………………………………………. ACADEMIC BOARD CHAIR INSTITUTION By endorsing this Statement, institutions agree to be guided by the HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Charter as their Academic Leadership Framework. This Statement and its Charter are freely available for use by all higher education institutions so long as it is appropriately cited. It should be cited appropriately for scholarly purposes as: Fernandez J, K Ardzejewska & A Haddad., 'HEPP-QN Academic Leadership Statement,' HEPP-QN Online Forum, 25th March 2019, HEPP-QN. This Statement is the copyright of the HEPP-QN.  For questions or clarifications, please contact jane.fernandez@avondale.edu.au Page | 10  HEPP-QN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP STATEMENT  APPENDIX 1    Libby V. Morris, ‘Management and Leadership in Colleges and Universities’ Innov High Educ (2016) 41:1–3  DOI 10.1007/s10755-015-9352-5  Libby Morris cites Bolman and Deal [2013] in identifying 4 frames that are critical to understanding academic leadership.   Structural Frame   Roles; Formal Relationships; Teams; Rules; Policies and Procedures   Symbolic Frame Purpose and Meaning; institutional culture; rituals and symbols; your strengths and weaknesses; aspirations   Human Resources Frame  People and their needs, skills, relationships and attitudes   Political Frame    Questions of Power and Conflict, competition for resources and coalitions  Bolman L and T. Deal (1984; 2013)  Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership.    Definitions  ‘professional development’ – extending professional knowledge for the individual’s development or growth “in order to influence his/her practice’ ‘professional learning’ – [integration and application] ‘implies an internal process in which individuals create professional knowledge through interaction with this information in a way that challenges previous assumptions and creates new meanings. […] Professional learning is an active process of systematic inquiry into the effectiveness of practice for student engagement, learning and well-being and through this process become self-regulated learners. This inquiry process has many parallels to formative assessment practices found to be effective in promoting student learning’.https://www.mheducation.co.uk/openup/chapters/9780335244041.pdf  i  See Libby Morris, ‘Management and Leadership in Colleges and Universities’, Springer Science Business Media, New York, 2015 who draws attention to Bolman & Deals ‘Four-Frame Model’. ‘A classic among the books is Reframing organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership. Authors Bolman and Deal (2013) provide four frames or lenses through which decisions and activities can be considered or analyzed. In a nutshell, the structural frame is characterized by roles, formal relationships, teams, rules, policies, and procedures. The human resources frame is about people and their needs, skills, relationships, and attitudes. The political frame raises questions of power and conflict, competition for resources, and coalitions. The symbolic frame deals with purpose and meaning, institutional culture, rituals and symbols. / An understanding of these lenses may indeed assist an administrator in the analysis ofissues and in contemplating strategies for action’ [Morris L].                                                            

Higher Education Private Provider Quality Network (HEPP-QN) Academic Leadership Statement

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Higher Education Private Provider Quality Network (HEPP-QN) Academic Leadership Statement

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