Leadership in higher education: a study of leadership among presidents in Ireland’s technological higher education sector

This thesis investigates leadership among presidents in institutes of technology in Ireland. The research seeks to answer three important research questions: firstly, what is the profile of leaders in the technological higher education sector and how do the professional characteristics of presidents impact on leadership?; secondly, what are presidents’ approaches to leadership within and beyond the organisation?; and thirdly, how are leadership practices influenced by contextual factors?

The research is informed by the literature on higher education leadership and a review of the Irish higher education context, with particular focus on the position of institutes of technology within that system. The study involved a total sample of the 14 presidents of the institutes of technology in Ireland; this was important in gaining a full picture of leadership in this sector. The study is particularly timely in the context of Irish higher education, which is undergoing a period of significant change that will see the amalgamation of existing institutes to form technological universities.

The study investigates the influence of professional characteristics on leadership; key findings relate to discipline, scholarship and gender. The study identifies practices associated with successful leadership, both within and beyond the higher education institutions; and the associated leadership dispositions and approaches of presidents. The study also reports on the impact of contextual factors on leadership. Based on these findings, an integrative model of higher education leadership is proposed. The proposed model includes five key elements: leadership practice; leadership dispositions; leadership approaches; individual factors; and, contextual factors. This conceptual model will make an important contribution to the understanding of leadership and to the field of higher education leadership research. This study will be of interest to scholars in the domains of educational research and leadership, in particular leadership in higher education. The research has implications for improving the practice of leadership among senior managers in higher education and for higher education policy.