NEWLEAD builds on a series of previous projects and initiatives in governance, capacity building and institutional transformation, which the project partners conducted or participated in.

Between 2015 and 2018, EUA led the EU-funded USTREAM project, which focused on efficiency (including through strategic governance), effectiveness and value for money at universities, while exploring the role of institutional leadership. Research conducted within the USTREAM project showed that to promote change, leaders must have access to the capabilities and tools needed to achieve success. This process of empowerment becomes essential for capacity building at both institutional and individual levels, being a pre-requisite for effective and successful change management at universities.

Moreover, previous products released by EUA include toolkits for university leaders and managers on governance models, human resources and financial management, which were designed to support structural reform processes and to enhance the quality and relevance of higher education systems.

The main project objectives are:

• equip universities and their leaders to address policy priorities and challenges;
• enable leaders and senior managers to successfully steer complex institutional transformation agendas.

To achieve this, a peer-learning approach will be used throughout the project. This will facilitate an exchange of experience and practices among the participants, while bridging the gap between global, national and institutional needs. NEWLEAD results will also be derived from a mapping of institutional- and system-level approaches to leadership development and university transformation, which is planned for the first stage of the project implementation. Moreover, a novel methodological framework will be developed to address, in a holistic way, leadership capacity building and change management topics in higher education.

The NEWLEAD project will address institutional leadership development through the lenses of several transversal topics, such as (but not limited to):

• female leadership in higher education
• equity, diversity and social inclusion
• sustainability
• collaboration and engagement with ecosystems
• evolving labour market needs
• efficiency and effectiveness
• service to society
• resilience
• effective governance

University leaders, such as rectors, vice-rectors and deans, as well as senior managers, including heads of administration and finance and human resources, will be interested in the NEWLEAD project activities and outcomes. Participation in the focus groups and various other activities will be possible through open calls, which will be featured on this project webpage.

Ramon Llull University (coordinator)

European University Association (EUA)

Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP)

ESCP Business School

University of Iceland

Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR)

Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE)

Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU)

Irish Universities Association (IUA)

Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI)

Polish Rectors Foundation

At EUA, capacity building for university leadership with the purpose of institutional transformation is also addressed via two other ongoing initiatives, namely:

• In the field of learning and teaching in higher education, the EU-funded LOTUS project runs a Leadership Development Programme for institutional leaders
• In the field of digitalisation, EUA is organising three thematic peer groups in 2021, offering an opportunity for European higher education institutions to exchange with colleagues about their strategic approaches to digitally enhanced learning and teaching.