Book Review

Ramsden, P. (1998). Learning to lead in higher education. London: Routledge.

Leadership is discussed from an academic’s perspective and academic leadership is compared to corporate practices. The ‘presage-process-product’ model is used to elaborate the context of leadership in today’s university. Among the presage factors or changing external forces on higher education and internal characteristics of universities (p. 8) discussed are the many challenges facing academics as a whole and heads of departments in particular. Data from surveys of heads of departments and academic staff from Australian universities and elsewhere provide interesting insights into the problems that an academic leader is likely to face as well as some qualities shown by outstanding leaders. For instance, leadership was seen as seizing the opportunities and realising them in practice, as leading the way, and as teaching. The means to apply theories of leadership to practices in academia are outlined in the latter part of the book. The argument that academic leadership means helping one’s colleagues to enlarge their competence, improve their performance, and maximise their potential (p.194) suggests that leadership is not confined to heads of departments alone. A strong theme throughout the book is the essential importance of effective academic leadership in promoting good teaching departments.