UK university leaders at the turn of the 21st century: changing patterns in their socio-demographic characteristics

Abstract

While not the only title used by UK university leaders, the term Vice Chancellor will be used throughout this paper to include the other titles used (including Rector, Provost, Principal and President). According to data obtained pre-1997, UK Vice Chancellors (VCs) were predominantly scientists, largely former professors, Pro-VCs or deputy directors in universities, with only a few recruited from industry or the civil service. There have been changes in the fundamental demands being placed on UK universities in the recent past and the aim of our study was to explore if there had been changes in the socio-demographic characteristics of UK VCs since 1996. Our analysis of data available in the public domain on VCs appointed between 1997 and 2006 established that several changes had occurred. Most interestingly, we report an increase in the numbers of women and social scientists, and an increase in the age at which appointments are made. We also report an increase in appointments to universities established post-1992 of academics previously working in institutions established pre-1992.

The international business of higher education – A managerial perspective on the internationalisation of UK universities

“…The knowledge, skills and competencies, of top business leaders, their ability to communicate a vision and orientate the organisation to achieve that vision are becoming an increasingly important pre-requisites for academic managers and university senior management groups (Boyett 1996, Breakwell 2006. Nevertheless, research conducted at five UK universities (Breakwell and Tytherleigh 2007) and at highly regarded universities around the world (Goodall 2006) shows that universities continue to appoint senior managers from a small pool of prominent researchers. In 2007 over 50 per cent of Vice Chancellors (VCs) in the UK were white men in their 50s, most of whom had a science background and generally they had worked or studied earlier in their career at Oxford or Cambridge Universities (Breakwell and Tytherleigh 2007).…”

“…Nevertheless, research conducted at five UK universities (Breakwell and Tytherleigh 2007) and at highly regarded universities around the world (Goodall 2006) shows that universities continue to appoint senior managers from a small pool of prominent researchers. In 2007 over 50 per cent of Vice Chancellors (VCs) in the UK were white men in their 50s, most of whom had a science background and generally they had worked or studied earlier in their career at Oxford or Cambridge Universities (Breakwell and Tytherleigh 2007). These senior academic managers are skilled academics, very capable and persuasive communicators but often not used to leading large complicated organisations with multiple objectives and a disparate workforce (Boyett 1996).…”

University leaders and university performance in the United Kingdom: is it ‘who’ leads, or ‘where’ they lead that matters most?

“…Finding an answer is made more difficult, at least in the UK, because VCs do not differ too much in their socio-demographic characteristics. Breakwell and Tytherleigh (2008b) studied the socio-demographic characteristics of UK University VCs appointed between 1997 and 2006. They found that the majority of VCs were white men, appointed during their mid-fifties having worked previously in academe, from a science background, and with either undergraduate or postgraduate experience of the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge (Oxbridge).…”

Las Mujeres en los Equipos de Gobierno en la Universidad Española. Un Estudio Discreto

“…Los cambios legislativos y sociales han permitido un incremento de la presencia femenina en los cargos de gestión universitaria, de acuerdo con Breakwell y Tytherleigh (2008), ha avanzado desde un 9,5% en 1986 a un 23% en 2006. Asimismo, y de acuerdo con el MEC (2007), hace 10 años la presencia de las mujeres en cargos académicos era escasa dado que había una representación de mujeres inferior al 26% en los órganos unipersonales en las universidades públicas españolas.…”