Mid-level Academic Management in Russian Higher Education: A Case Study of an Elite State University

1. Higher Education Leadership in Russia: a case study of mid-level academic management at an elite State university By Dr. Justine Mercer and Dr. Victoria Pogosian SRHE 10 May 2016 Herzen

2. Why comparative research? • Why mid-level manager-academics? • Opportunistic sample of 11 academics (5 HoDs and 6 lecturers) at one elite State university in a large Russian city; data collection in 2008. Herzen

3. Research Questions • How are Russian mid-level manager-academics selected and supported? b) How is the role described and understood? c) How has the social, economic and political context influenced Russian HE in general and the role of the HoD in particular? Herzen

4. Activity one: • In 2008, what achievements were recorded in the literature about Russian HE? • And what challenges were identified? Herzen

5. Achievement in Russian HE up to 2008 • Curricula “de-ideologized” • Learner-centredness • Academic freedom and choice • HE sector expanded and diversified • Unified State Exam • Tuition fees • Bologna process (2003) Herzen

6. Challenges facing Russian HE • Inadequate state funding • Low salaries and heavy workload • Low mobility of students and staff • Endemic corruption Response • National Priority Project (government support for innovation) • Institutional differences Herzen

7. Activity two: • In 2016, what more has been achieved? • How far have the challenges been overcome and how? • What new challenges have emerged? Herzen

8. New Managerialism in UK HE • Increase in accountability (REF/QAA) • Emphasis on efficiency (self-funding) • Marketization of sector • Promotion of entrepreneurialism (Mercer et al. 2010; Mercer 2009). Herzen

9. Managerialism in Russian HE “Discourses of accountability, efficiency and effectiveness, which emerged in the Western countries’ educational and social policies in the 1980s and 1990s … permeate new Russian policies” (Gounko and Smale 2007: 534). “In the current climate, a faculty member is no longer considered a rightful partner in the education system but rather an instrument of commercialization” (Smolentseva 2003: 419). Herzen

10. Russian HoDs • Selection – academic degree and five years experience • Average age = 52 but 28% over 60 • 50% internal graduates • 10% reduction in teaching load (50-80 hours) but huge increase in tasks (MHSD, 2009) Herzen

11. Manager-academics in UK HE • Selection – “career track manager”, “reluctant manager”, “good citizen manager” (Deem 2000) • Updated by Bolden, Petrov and Gosling (2008) • Support – Off-the-shelf courses not as effective as on-going context-specific support (Johnson 2002; Whyte 2006; Burgoyne et al. 2009). Herzen

12. HoDs in the UK • “Janusian” conflict – devoting time to administration at the expense of teaching and/or research (Sotirakou 2004; Smith 2005). • “Values” conflict (Sotirakou 2004; Hellawell and Hancock 2001). Herzen

13. Research Questions • How are Russian mid-level manager-academics selected and supported? b) How is the role described and understood? c) How has the social, economic and political context influenced Russian HE in general and the role of the HoD in particular? Herzen

14. Findings - Selection: “Invitation” “I was invited by my elder friends ... Just a little talk between the people who know each other” (HoD) Internal promotion – not nepotism but professionalism No “good citizen managers” One “career track manager” Most “reluctant managers” – sense of obligation Herzen

15. Findings - Selection: “She had the highest degree, the doctoral degree ... she was of the appropriate age ... Not too young, not too old ... Younger professors were too busy with their families. And counting all this, [Name] who is the dean right now, she said, ‘Okay, I just have to be a dean, just have to take this position for three years until the next professor is free from her family, from babies’.” (Lecturer) Herzen

16. Findings - Support: • Nothing prior to appointment • Courses on curriculum initiatives • No negative comments about off-the-shelf training Herzen

17. Findings - Support: • Importance of experiential learning “They are trained by life, and maybe this training is much more important than just to be attending seminars or some kind of training courses.” (Lecturer) • Value of consulting older, more experienced HoDs. • “When we teach others, we learn ourselves.” Herzen

18. Findings - Support: • No requests for secretarial support or legal advice (cf Johnson 2002). Herzen

19. Activity Three: • Look at the list of leadership behaviours. Which are from this Russian study and which are from Bryman’s (2008) systematic literature review? • To what extent do the two lists overlap? Herzen

20. Findings - Role: “Bridging” between higher level of management and faculty • Communicating effectively • Being democratic • Being diplomatic • Hiring the right people • Delegating tasks fairly and monitoring work • Involving students and staff in research Herzen

21. Findings - Role: “Lounging” or “Steering” or “Rowing”? • Lounging - Elderly well-respected HoDs • Steering – Head and neck metaphor “You must be innovative because the system is very changeable ... you have to be like the nose of a ship – looking forward and seeing distance ... What would you like to have in 10 or 20 years?” (Lecturer). Herzen

22. Findings - Role: • Rowing - “If you want some innovation at your department to happen, you have to literally take all your department members by the scruff of the neck and push them to ... introduce ... reforms. That is what I mean by rowing. You have to do a lot yourself.” (Lecturer) • Situational leadership needed (Hersey et al. 1996). Herzen

23. Impact of social, economic and political context • Absolute State control of Soviet Era “It was absolutely centralized from the Ministry. We did not control the curriculum, or anything else. We just were given everything ... it was absolute State-control. Yes, there was one curriculum, for the whole Soviet Union. And there were many things we did not even discuss. We just were those who put into life something set above.” (HoD) Herzen

24. 10 year period of “absolute freedom” leading to “time of chaos” so licensing welcomed. “It is not effective when you teach, for instance, yourself and you also validate yourself. It should be independent.” (HoD) “I do think that the accrediting system is probably a very good thing because this way, economically, a single standard could be achieved. (Lecturer). Herzen

25. Strong support for centralized control • Evidence of “Janusian” conflict – time taken away from research and/or teaching • No evidence of “values” conflict – perhaps because of • “invitational” recruitment process • low levels of individual monitoring and • previous experience of extreme surveillance Herzen

26. Activity Four: • What do you think of Figure 1 (about the likely impact on values conflict of various contextual factors?) • Do you think Russian academics in 2016 would agree? • What about academics from other countries with which you are familiar? Herzen

27. Acknowledgements The data collection phase of this study was facilitated by grants from the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (UK) and the National Training Foundation (Russia). Justine.Mercer@warwick.ac.uk Pogosian@mail.ru Herzen