The search is underway for a Chief Executive to head up a new body charged with developing and promoting leadership, management and governance within UK higher education. The Leadership Foundation for Higher Education is expected to be operational from 1 January 2004.

Candidates for the post, which is being advertised with a six-figure remuneration, are expected to be drawn from a wide field, including from outside higher education and from abroad.

An interim board is overseeing the establishment of the Foundation and the recruitment of its Chief Executive. The board is chaired by Professor Roderick Floud, President of UUK and Vice Chancellor of London Metropolitan University, and includes representatives from the Standing Conference of Principals (SCOP), Universities UK and the Committee of University Chairmen (CUC).

The concept of the Leadership Foundation was first developed by Universities UK and SCOP, informed by earlier research by the Higher Education Staff Development Agency (HESDA) and Professor Robin Middlehurst of the University of Surrey.

At their annual conferences in 2001, Universities UK and SCOP agreed to develop a strategic framework to help the sector to enhance leadership and management. The Foundation was then endorsed within the January 2003 DfES White Paper on the Future of Higher Education, and by the funding bodies for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Its aims are to identify and meet the sector’s key leadership and management needs and contribute to the further development of professional leaders and managers. A total of £10million has been earmarked by the four UK funding bodies for the Foundation over the first three years of its operation.

The new Foundation will incorporate and build on the success of HESDA, particularly with regard to the HESDA Top Management Programme and Senior Staff Mentoring Scheme. It will also take forward the successful governors’ training programme of the CUC.

Professor Roderick Floud said "This is a significant step forward for developing leaders, managers and governors within higher education. The Foundation will draw on best practice from the UK and abroad, promote the highest standards of equality and diversity and so equip the sector to meet the challenges of the future."

Dr John Cater, Chair of SCOP, noted: "This is a very exciting role; an excellent opportunity for a top-calibre chief executive to make a significant contribution to the continued success of the higher education sector."

Sir Howard Newby, Chief Executive of HEFCE added: "The UK higher education funding bodies are very pleased to make this significant financial investment in this important UUK and SCOP initiative."

Notes

1. An electronic version of our business case for the Leadership Foundation is available here . Alternatively contact the UUK Press Unit on pressunit@universitiesuk.ac.uk.
2. The interim board includes representatives from UUK, SCOP and CUC, and the four higher education funding bodies, the Higher Education Funding Council for England; Scottish Higher Education Funding Council; Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, and the Department for Employment & Learning Northern Ireland.