The paper focuses on leadership issues in relation to UK higher education and HEIs. In these contexts, leaders can include governors, vice-chancellors, senior management teams, other formally appointed individuals, as well as people in temporary leadership roles or acting-up (ie, undertaking a specific job role without formal appointment). HEI leadership also includes strategic and academic leadership (professors and principal investigators), and leadership of networks, disciplinary groups or collaborations. More broadly, leadership in higher education also includes leadership of policy and its implementation, quality assurance and regulation. It can also include more diffuse forms of leadership associated with programmes, networks and organisations, including student leadership. This paper draws on a wide range of research and staff experiences in the UK, as well as research and insights from the US, to offer a critical analysis of the issues.
