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Leadership in higher education is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in the success and sustainability of academic institutions. Within an ecosystem marked by complexity and dynamic influences, agile leadership has become essential. The sector faces a range of challenges, including high levels of accountability, complex governance structures, intense competition, and the significant impact of political and economic factors on funding. Navigating these complexities requires leaders who are adaptable, responsive, and capable of steering their institutions toward long-term success in a rapidly changing environment.
The post-COVID era has further amplified the need for leaders who can quickly adapt to change and manage heightened pressures, competitiveness, and competing priorities. Agile leadership involves being flexible and responsive, enabling institutions to navigate rapid technological advancements, evolving regulatory requirements, and the dynamic needs of society.
Moreover, effective leadership in this context also means embracing participatory and shared governance models. These approaches promote transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration, ensuring that diverse voices within the institution are heard and considered in decision-making processes. By fostering a culture of shared governance, leaders can better align the institution’s strategic objectives with the needs and expectations of its community, thereby enhancing its ability to innovate and thrive in a constantly changing landscape.
John Kotter’s framework on leadership highlights the necessity for higher education leaders to establish a clear vision, align their teams towards common goals, and inspire action. These functions are particularly crucial in an academic setting where change is constant, whether in the form of new educational technologies, shifts in student demographics, or evolving societal expectations. Leaders must not only adapt to these changes but also proactively guide their institutions through them, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and fostering an environment conducive to innovation and continuous improvement.
Furthermore, leadership in higher education is deeply intertwined with good governance. Effective leaders are responsible for maintaining transparency, ensuring fair decision-making processes, and upholding the principles of academic integrity and excellence. They must engage in strategic planning that considers both opportunities and risks, efficiently manage resources, and stay informed about global trends impacting the education sector. This holistic approach to leadership is essential for institutions aiming to achieve a ‘world-class’ status and sustain their growth and relevance in a globalized educational landscape. These imperatives underscore the importance of leadership development programs, which can equip current and aspiring leaders with the skills and insights needed to navigate the complexities of higher education today.
CLICKS offers a comprehensive suite of leadership programs tailored specifically for the higher education sector, catering to both new and seasoned leaders, as well as individuals being groomed for future leadership roles.
These programs are available through two main venues: public offerings, and customized in-house training designed to address specific institutional needs or leadership challenges. The programs vary in duration, ranging from intensive 3-day workshops to 6-month certified courses, and are available in both online and in-person formats.
Additionally, some programs may be co-certified with international partners, enhancing the credibility and global recognition of the training provided.
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CLICKS’s professional coaches are committed to helping academic and administrative leaders in the higher education sector achieve their personal and institutional development goals. Our coaching program assists leaders in discovering what leadership means within their specific context and unlocking their leadership potential. Designed specifically to address both personal and institutional needs, the Executive Coaching Program (ECP) aims to tackle executive challenges, organizational behaviors, and effective leadership.
The ECP assigns coaches who facilitate a confidential learning conversation, where leaders articulate the impact, they wish to make at their institution, develop visions to achieve their goals, and overcome obstacles hindering their leadership potential. Coaches act as neutral and independent “thinking partners,” using effective questioning and listening skills to encourage and challenge leaders, fostering understanding and commitment to action.
The ECP supports individuals by:
Structure of the Program
The Executive Coaching Program runs for either 6 or 12 weeks. A minimum of 10 participants is required to start the program, which may include individuals from the same institution.
The Program includes:
Unlock your leadership potential with our Leadership Mentorship Program
Designed to provide invaluable ‘on-the-job’ learning and development. Research shows that over 70% of managerial and leadership skills are acquired through practical experience, 20% through networking, and only 10% through formal training. Recognizing this, our program focuses on mentoring as a powerful tool for professional growth.
Through personalized mentoring, participants have the opportunity to tackle complex challenges, gain new perspectives, and achieve their goals with the guidance of experienced leaders.
This program offers a unique blend of practical insights and strategic advice, helping you navigate your career path, enhance your leadership capabilities, and excel in your role. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or an emerging talent, our Leadership Mentorship Program is tailored to meet your specific needs and foster continuous development in a supportive, real-world environment.
Develop Your Team’s Leadership Skills with Our Flagship Summer Leadership Institute
Are you looking to groom new leaders or enhance the skills and insights of your existing leadership team?
CLICKS offers a premier Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) in collaboration with international partners, available in both the UK and the USA. This program is specifically designed for higher education administrators, including University VPs, Provosts, Deans, and Department Heads.
Program Highlights:
Last Date to Request a Summer Leadership Institute: February 25th of each year.
CLICKS’s Leadership and Governance Development Services
CLICKS collaborates closely with higher education institutions to develop comprehensive strategies, frameworks, and policies aimed at grooming new leaders and ensuring effective succession planning. Our services include:
Additionally, we support institutions in developing or reviewing policies related to the selection, recruitment, development, evaluation, and promotion of leadership positions and faculty members. We also conduct performance reviews for senior executives using 360-degree assessments, followed by the formulation of developmental strategies based on the outcomes.
For more information on our services, please contact us at inquiries@clic-cks.com.
The biennial MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum (MENA-HELF), launched in 2013, has evolved into a premier platform for higher education leaders and decision-makers worldwide. It provides an invaluable opportunity for these individuals to convene, exchange insights, and establish new collaborations both locally and across regions. The forum focuses on addressing emerging trends and challenges impacting the higher education sector on regional and global scales.
MENA-HELF is a dynamic network that brings together leaders and experts from around the globe to discuss pressing issues in higher education and develop forward-looking strategies. It serves as a vital space for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration, helping shape the future of higher education in the MENA region and beyond.
Know more about the MENA-HELF at www.menahelf.com
Closely tied up to leadership development is governance. In general, governance is defined as a system through which decisions are made and the performance of institutions is guided and supervised so as to achieve the required objectives with the purpose of protecting different stakeholders via creating:
Good governance aims at avoiding ‘mismanagement’ within institutions. The arrangements emphasize the need for clear delineation of responsibilities within institutions. Governance in higher education refers to the means by which higher educational institutions are formally organized and operated this includes looking closely at the role of their governing bodies and that of their executive management. In other words, and as defined by OECD in 2008 “Governance encompasses the structures, relationships and processes through which, at both, national and institutional levels, policies for tertiary education are developed, implemented and reviewed. Governance comprises a complex web including the legislative framework, the characteristics of the institutions and how they relate to the whole system, how money is allocated to institutions and how they are accountable for the way it is spent, as well as less formal structures and relationships which steer and influence behavior.” The governance arrangements of higher education institutions are becoming more complex since institutions themselves have become increasingly interdependent with external forces and accountable to external organizations governmental and market based. The emergence of new dynamics such as open and collaborative educational systems, globalization and privatization of higher education poses additional complexity on creating effective governance systems. In the current political and financial environment, the establishment of effective governance in higher education institutions has become a critical issue which captured much attention over the last decade. In addition, most national accreditation bodies within the region have been emphasising the importance of governance by crafting clear requirements and guidelines by which HEIs must comply. Every institution of higher education is expected to periodically assess the effectiveness of its governance system.
CLICKS offers several programs aimed at strengthening and improving the understanding, practices, implementation and assessment of governance in the context of Higher Education; taking into account both global trends and good practices while considering the particularities of various types of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and context in which they operate.
This series of ‘hands-on’ programs offered by the Center explore key issues surrounding governance which are of interest to both senior leaders and governing board members and allow for the exchange of ideas and experiences among participants.
One of CLICKS’s Exclusive Programs, is its Board Development Training Program on “Governance for Governing Board Members” which was developed in 2015 and regularly enhanced since then. The program was designed and developed in response to multiple feedback provided from senior leaders who have participated in other workshops on governance and leadership and who emphasized on the importance of creating better synergy and collaboration between leaders of HEIs and their Governing Boards. This meticulously designed program brings leaders and board members together to address a number of key topics including: obtaining a common understanding on the principles and fundamentals of Governance in HE; discussing various governance models and frameworks in HE, functions and responsibilities of Boards; the relationship between governance and management; strategic issues facing universities, risk management, board evaluation and assessment among other topics.
Our programs on governance range from 2- day programs to a 5 day intensive program and can be offered as either a scheduled public program or may be delivered ‘in-house’ within a particular institution.
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CLICKS offers a successfully and exclusive program designed to enable Governing Boards from both private and public universities to increase their knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities and how they can guide, support and assess the institution effectively and efficiently. This high level program is exclusively offered once every academic year. For more details,
visit our Schedule of Public Programs
Our consultancy services include a range of activities among which are:
For more details contact us at inquiries@clic-cks.com