Academic Leadership in a Private University: An Iranian Case Study

This study explores effective academic leadership as well as hindrances within Iran's private higher educational institutions. The author employed a qualitative approach that utilized purposive sampling to collect and analyze data. Findings were categorized into three classes comprising the (i)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational education studies Vol. 9; no. 5; pp. 193 - 203
Main Authors Hamidifar, Fatemeh, Ebrahimi, Mansoureh
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Canadian Center of Science and Education 26.04.2016
Subjects
Ability
Administrative Organization
Agenda Setting
Barriers
Budgets
Case Studies
Centralization
Data Analysis
Educational Finance
Educational Objectives
Foreign Countries
Governance
Iran
Leadership Effectiveness
Leadership Qualities
Leadership Training
Private Colleges
Qualitative Research
Semi Structured Interviews
Staff Development
Transformational Leadership
Universities
Iran
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Summary:This study explores effective academic leadership as well as hindrances within Iran's private higher educational institutions. The author employed a qualitative approach that utilized purposive sampling to collect and analyze data. Findings were categorized into three classes comprising the (i) setting of direction, (ii) organizational and (iii) staff development at three administrative levels: central office, branch office and faculty personnel. Obstacles confronting effective academic leadership were identified as (i) centralization of power; (ii) bureaucratic hierarchy; (iii) budgetary restraints; (iv) ineffective interaction including ineffectual communications as well as social, political and cultural interventions; and (v) unqualified staffing policies that eschewed meritocracy. This study reveals that the functional purview of an effective academic leader is to drive an institution's vision forward towards achievement and define its mission and objectives. Moreover, it signifies an indispensable need for academic leadership development programs that incorporate, protect and support scientific management skills based on sound moral values, mutually established trust, collegial respect, and the application of transactional cum transformational governance methods in teaching, learning and research.
ISSN:1913-9020
DOI:10.5539/ies.v9n5p193