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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the best processes that are currently used in managing talent in Australian higher education (HE) and to examine the policies in terms of talent management processes (TMPs) that are derived from objective one. Pragmatic benefits for academic institutions focused on enhancing talent. Design/methodology/approach This study selects the mixed method as its research design. In the qualitative study, there were three methods: brainstorming, focus group and individual interviews, followed by the quantitative questionnaire study. The sample consisted of 6 participants for brainstorming, 11 in focus group, 6 individual interviews and 286 participants for the quantitative questionnaire, all conducted in nine Australian universities. Findings Three key themes: talent retention, talent development and talent attraction were explored by the qualitative study. The quantitative study tests the level of an importance regarding the three TMPs explored. Practical implications This empirical research is one of the first few studies that extended the previous investigation of TMPs in various industries to the HE sector. This research provides more debates for adding more new ideas in the Australian education strategic plans for HE. Originality/value This study offers a value-add to talent management literature through designing a quantitative measurement of TMPs for the educational sector. Consequently, there is a deficiency of pragmatic evidence in terms of TMPs in the aforementioned sector. Furthermore, this study provides a clear and comprehensive outline of the extant scholarly research of TMPs from the period 2006–2018.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate generated themes associated with talent development in the Australian higher education sector. This is because there are pragmatic advantages for universities that are focused on developing talents. For example, talent is a primary source of competitive advantage for educational institutions. Design/methodology/approach This study depends on the individual interview method as the main tool for data collection. The sample consisted of six participants who are talented. High-level individual interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed using NVivo 11. Findings Individual interviews have identified four key themes of talent development: performance management, coaching talent, leadership development and talent acquisition. Research limitations This study only targeted one country (Australia), and one sector (higher education). Hence, the generalisability of these results is limited to the Australian university sector in Queensland. Practical implications This study collects rich and original qualitative data regarding talent development in the higher education domain. Therefore, for instance, the research findings validate what was already found but are significant because practical data rather than theoretical were gathered through a discussion with experts in talent management. This study has a high quality because of strengthening the effect of an in-depth case study. Originality/value The study offers a value added to talent management theory through investigating themes of talent development for the higher education sector. This would assist researchers in this field to provide a deeper understanding and develop a theoretical foundation for their further studies. This implication is unique to the advancement of talent management theory.

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