Professor Lumby to research micro-politics in higher education
Professor Jacky Lumby has been commissioned by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education to investigate the kind of leadership activity in higher education organisations that is not often exposed, micro-politics.
Everyone is aware that organisations are replete with a kind of backstage activity that is hugely influential, the subtext of decisions about goals, resource use, affiliations and resistance, amongst other areas. Micropolitics is the daily practice of creating power. Nevertheless this aspect of leadership is rarely researched in higher education.
In the next few months Professor Lumby will be interviewing vice-chancellors and other senior leaders in higher education organisations. She will also be talking to those charged with designing development for HE leaders to see in what ways preparation for taking on a leadership role might acknowledge and support the full range of activity rather than staying within the usual narratives of leadership.
Jacky comments "We are hoping that this research will open up something of the black box of leadership and help leaders reflect on and develop the kind of underlying skills that are crucial in the highly politicised environment of universities".
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Professor Jacky Lumby CertEd, MA, PhD
Professor Lumby is an Emeritus Professor of Education with a primary focus on leading for equity in all parts of the education system worldwide.
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