Leadership and the Changing Context of Education.

Abstract

Shiel and Jones summarise the potential for universities to play a transformative role in securing a sustainable world; examine the reasons why few universities have responded and; explore ways of prompting and enabling them to engage strategically with this existential challenge, and the kinds of leadership that would sustain this. They review the work of writers from different perspectives who have argued for transformation in relation to both internationalization and sustainability. The concept of elective affinities is used to characterise the way that organisational and career factors coalesce with a neo liberal model of the market to comprise a powerful negative reinforcement cycle that inhibits engagement with sustainability and social justice. They note importantly that some businesses and universities have moved away from this model to systemically engage with sustainability. Drawing on experience of introducing a Global Perspectives framework they explore ways of engaging leaders, colleagues, students and external partners and identify the key features of globally responsible leadership.