Task: write a report analysing the state of crisis in the UK higher education and discuss the role of leadership in contributing to the crisis as well as alternatives that may lead to a resolution.

Individual Report (2,000 words)

Task: write a report analysing the state of crisis in the UK higher education and discuss the role of leadership in contributing to the crisis as well as alternatives that may lead to a resolution.

You are required to formulate arguments grounded in reading and facts. Simply stating your opinion will result in a failed assignment. An argument starts with analysis. Analysis is the creation of insights into factual details of a situation. For instance, you may be showing causal or other types of relationships, connections between elements that are linked to the state of crisis. An argument proceeds by drawing a conclusion, which is a point you want to make in order to convince someone of something based on the reasoning and analysis about factors.

Evidence for your report should come from newspaper articles, reports, and academic papers. You may also choose to collect primary data from various stakeholders at the University of Greenwich. If you decide to do this, please, inform your tutor and seek ethical approval before commencing data collection.

Structure your report as follows:
It is advisable to include a table of content

Introduction

Briefly introduce the key issues that describe a crisis in the UK higher education that you will be analysing. How are the key actors/stakeholders? What is your evidence of crisis? Does leadership have a role to play in this crisis?

Signpost the different sections in your report and how they build on each other.

Analysis of crisis

-Define the area of HE crisis that you are focusing on.

This can be student experience, staff dissatisfaction, financial strain or any other area you identify from your reading.

-Key issues in terms difficulties experienced by the sector

 

Here you need to make connections between different areas. If your primary focus is student dissatisfaction, present it in the wider context. It does not just occur in the vacuum, where everything else is fine. What else is happening?

3. Analysis of Power and Leadership

Where is the power located in the system? Who are the leaders? Who are the followers?

Consider the stakeholders of the system. Which stakeholders have the power to influence the state and events in the system, universities? Who leads? Who follows? Is it a clear cut distinction? (Use Power analysis of a taught module as an example here).

-What do contemporary HE leaders look like? Critically discuss an image (or two) of leaders you have identified in your research. These can include leaders at different levels (policy, universities, and departments). Draw on mainstream leadership theories to describe what they stand for, their skills, qualities, values.

How does this image compare to the notions of crisis? Are the leaders suited for the challenge at hand or do they need to adopt/change? If so how?

Based on the notion of crisis, what are your thoughts on how they may look different to improve the situation? This can be a comparative analysis of leadership skills, qualities, vision. Also consider the role of followers here and the basis of power. Does the current system mobilise all stakeholders equally? Are there untapped resources that could be mobilised?

4. Conclusion

Summaries key ideas, analysis and recommendations.