Wonkhe presents
Book launch: Leadership transitions in universities
Arriving, surviving and thriving at the top
Online
Get DirectionsTransitions at the top in universities are a predictable part of institutional life and, usually, a sign of a healthy system. Senior managers get promoted, heads of universities retire, take up new leadership positions in different institutions or countries, or move on to other types of work inside and outside higher education. Less frequently, though often more publicly, university leaders have to step down either temporarily or permanently for personal reasons or professional failings.
The spotlight on these transitions at the top is typically focused on individuals. However, there are a range of other transitions that can happen simultaneously or sequentially – a change in leadership of the governing body, changes in membership of the university’s senior leadership team or wider political changes at local or national level. Any of these can have implications for the institution, its staff, students and business.
One transition at the top is often part of a wider “web of transitions” that people are faced with and need to get through. Both the more prominent (and more hidden) transitions create turbulence for institutions and their communities. If the transitions and their potential consequences are noted and attended to, associated risks can be more readily identified, assessed and managed.
Join the authors and guests to help launch a new book to shine a light on a hugely important but previously under-explored area: Leadership transitions in universities: arriving, surviving and thriving at the top by Dr Tom Kennie and Professor Robin Middlehurst.
You can watch a recording of the event here.
Agenda
16.00 Welcome and Overview
16.10 Leadership transitions and their importance – Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal, University of Edinburgh and Professor Mary Stuart, Vice Chancellor, University of Lincoln
16.25 Overview of the book: The Why, The What and our core propositions – Dr Tom Kennie, co-author
16.50 Leadership transitions: the personal experience and stories – Professor Robin Middlehurst, co-author
17.10 Leadership transitions: a US perspective – Dr Peter Eckel, University of Pennsylvania
17.40 Event close
Default title
Wonkhe presents
Book launch: Leadership transitions in universities
Arriving, surviving and thriving at the top
Online
Get DirectionsTransitions at the top in universities are a predictable part of institutional life and, usually, a sign of a healthy system. Senior managers get promoted, heads of universities retire, take up new leadership positions in different institutions or countries, or move on to other types of work inside and outside higher education. Less frequently, though often more publicly, university leaders have to step down either temporarily or permanently for personal reasons or professional failings.
The spotlight on these transitions at the top is typically focused on individuals. However, there are a range of other transitions that can happen simultaneously or sequentially – a change in leadership of the governing body, changes in membership of the university’s senior leadership team or wider political changes at local or national level. Any of these can have implications for the institution, its staff, students and business.
One transition at the top is often part of a wider “web of transitions” that people are faced with and need to get through. Both the more prominent (and more hidden) transitions create turbulence for institutions and their communities. If the transitions and their potential consequences are noted and attended to, associated risks can be more readily identified, assessed and managed.
Join the authors and guests to help launch a new book to shine a light on a hugely important but previously under-explored area: Leadership transitions in universities: arriving, surviving and thriving at the top by Dr Tom Kennie and Professor Robin Middlehurst.
You can watch a recording of the event here.
Agenda
16.00 Welcome and Overview
16.10 Leadership transitions and their importance – Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal, University of Edinburgh and Professor Mary Stuart, Vice Chancellor, University of Lincoln
16.25 Overview of the book: The Why, The What and our core propositions – Dr Tom Kennie, co-author
16.50 Leadership transitions: the personal experience and stories – Professor Robin Middlehurst, co-author
17.10 Leadership transitions: a US perspective – Dr Peter Eckel, University of Pennsylvania
17.40 Event close
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Speakers
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![]( "Dr Tom Kennie is a founding director of Ranmore. He is also an Honorary Senior Fellow in the LH Martin Institute at the University of Melbourne. From an early career as an academic (in Jamaica and the UK), a period in the corporate sector latterly as an HR Director and over 20 years experience specialising in senior-level leadership development in the university sector, he now focuses on leadership transitions services for new senior leaders, particularly those appointed as Heads of Universities and has experience of working with over half the HE institutions in the UK")
Tom Kennie
Founding Director of the Ranmore Consulting GroupDr Tom Kennie is a founding director of Ranmore. He is also an Honorary Senior Fellow in the LH Martin Institute at the University of Melbourne. From an early career as an academic (in Jamaica and the UK), a period in the corporate sector latterly as an HR Director and over 20 years experience specialising in senior-level … Continued
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Robin Middlehurst
Academic (and Professor Emerita). Former Professor of Higher Education at Kingston University LondonI am an academic (and Professor Emerita) with a life-long interest in the development of higher education people, policies, institutions and systems. My experience comes from teaching, research and writing; the practice of leadership and governance; consultancy and organisational development; and through various contributions to policy development in the UK and internationally. I prefer to … Continued
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Peter Eckel
Senior Fellow and Director of Leadership Programs, Penn AHEAD, Penn GSEDr Peter Eckel is an expert on higher education management governance, with a special focus on the role that university boards should play in helping institutions fulfill their missions. In addition to his research, Eckel develops and delivers highly innovative capacity-building programs and projects, including consulting efforts to strengthen and advance higher education. He has … Continued
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Mary Stuart
Director of Leadership Development at Minerva, UK and former Vice Chancellor, University of LincolnMary Stuart has had a long career in Higher Education covering most academic roles. She spent 15 years at the University of Sussex moving from a lecturing role to becoming Pro Vice Chancellor for Students and Professor of Continuing Education. In 2005, she moved to Kingston University as Deputy Vice Chancellor and in 2009 was … Continued
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![](https://wonkhe.com/wp-content/wonkhe-uploads/2021/06/P-M-3.jpg "Professor Peter Mathieson MBBS(Hons)(London), PhD(Cambridge), FRCP(London), FRCPE, FMedSci, FRSE assumed the office of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh in February 2018.
Peter Mathieson was born and educated in the United Kingdom. He went to a state grammar school in Penzance, Cornwall and was the first member of his family to go to university. He read Medicine at the London Hospital Medical College and qualified with First Class Honours from the University of London in 1983. After junior medical posts in London, he obtained a research training fellowship from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to study at the University of Cambridge. He was awarded a PhD by the University of Cambridge in 1992. He became Director of Studies for Clinical Medicine at Christ’s College, Cambridge following his PhD. After a further MRC fellowship he moved to Bristol in 1995 as the foundation Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Bristol and Honorary Consultant Nephrologist, North Bristol NHS Trust. In 1999, he was elected to Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2021 he was elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
In 2007, Peter became Head of the University Department of Clinical Science at North Bristol, was appointed as Director of Research & Development for the North Bristol NHS Trust, and was elected President of the Renal Association (the UK’s national speciality association for nephrologists and renal scientists) in a competitive ballot of the membership, being the youngest President in its history. He served the full three year term as President and remained a Trustee for a further two years as Immediate Past-President.
In 2008 Peter was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Bristol, serving most of a sixth year after his initial five year term. He played a major role in the formation of Bristol Health Partners from 2008 onwards and was appointed as its founding Director in May 2012, a role he undertook alongside that of Dean. He remains an Honorary Professor of Medicine at the University of Bristol.
In April 2014, Peter assumed office as the 15th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), a post he held until January 2018. He remains an Honorary Professor of Medicine in the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at HKU.
In 2011 he was awarded honorary life membership of the Australian & New Zealand Society of Nephrology. In March 2015 he was awarded Honorary Fellowship of Hughes Hall, Cambridge and in October 2016 Honorary Fellowship of Hong Kong College of Physicians.
Of the various prizes and academic awards that he has received, he is most proud of being voted \\"Teacher of the Year\\" by Cambridge medical students in 1992; the Milne-Muehrcke award from the Renal Association and the National Kidney Foundation of USA for “most promising young researcher” from UK in 1997; the UK Renal Association Lockwood Award (for contribution to academic renal medicine) in 2004; and being voted “top teacher 2011-12” by Foundation doctors at University Hospitals Bristol.")
Peter Mathieson
Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of EdinburghProfessor Peter Mathieson MBBS(Hons)(London), PhD(Cambridge), FRCP(London), FRCPE, FMedSci, FRSE assumed the office of Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh in February 2018. Peter Mathieson was born and educated in the United Kingdom. He went to a state grammar school in Penzance, Cornwall and was the first member of his family to go to university. … Continued
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![]( "Mark Leach is the founder, Editor in Chief and CEO of Wonkhe. Mark worked in policy, politics and public affairs in and around UK higher education and founded Wonkhe in 2011 while working as a jobbing policy wonk in the sector. The first part of his career took him to the National Union of Students, HEFCE, University Alliance, GuildHE as well as a stint in politics as a special adviser to the former Shadow Minister for Universities & Science. Mark began full-time work on Wonkhe in mid-2014 growing it into a thriving business. As CEO, Mark is responsible for running and developing Wonkhe and as Editor in Chief oversees Wonkhe’s editorial platforms. You can read more about everything that Wonkhe does here.")
Mark Leach
Founder & Editor in Chief, Wonkhe and former Labour adviserMark Leach is the founder, Editor in Chief and CEO of Wonkhe. Mark worked in policy, politics and public affairs in and around UK higher education and founded Wonkhe in 2011 while working as a jobbing policy wonk in the sector. The first part of his career took him to the National Union of Students, … Continued
