handbook-executive-leadership-of-research-development-pdf-v10

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Focus 4 — Developing a research-oriented workforceThe long-term goal of the change agenda is to achieve a university culture whereeveryone takes research seriously. This applies equally to universities that aspireto create a strong research profile from scratch, rebuild their profile, or move toa significantly higher level. A strongly research-oriented workforce takes time tobuild, decades in most cases, and successful executive leaders start with this longtermoutcome in mind as the legacy of the groundwork they have established.Their communications frequently, consistently and confidently remind the universitycommunity and external stakeholders that this is the ultimate goal of the changeagenda.Developing a research-oriented workforce is not simply about developing individualskills and expertise in research and research management. The focus is ongenerating and sustaining a critical mass of people — executive leaders, academics,managers and support staff, and students — who appreciate and value the role andsignificance of research in the university as a central part of its existence.The initiatives of the executive leader signal to individuals who embrace the researchagenda as a core role that their work is valued, that they have opportunities andthat they will be supported. This does not preclude the appointment of teaching onlyor research only staff. It does however place emphasis on rewarding the majority ofacademics who maintain a preference to engage in both research and teaching andwho see the value-added to the experience as personally important.66 A handbook for executive leadership of research development
Principle 7. Focus appointment and promotion policy on the goalsAppointment and promotion policy has a direct bearing on the extent to which theuniversity takes research seriously. In the context of assertive-participative leadership,the process of reviewing and reframing the policy presents a major opportunity forthe executive leader to directly lead the shift to a research-oriented university. Therewards and recognition embedded in these policies shapes the priorities academicsgive to their work and career choices. Quite obviously this is a major tool forexecutive leaders to focus attention on the priorities and direction of the changeagenda. There is usually some urgency to this — which is useful from a changeleadership perspective — if the university aims to make significant moves to recruitresearch active academics early in the initial phase of the plan.The cornerstone of a strategically aligned appointment and promotion policy is anexpectation that all new academic appointments will require evidence of a strongtrack record of research and currency of research activity. This does not meanworking from a generic template — the executive leader and colleagues will haveworked through a process of identifying the type of person who can advance thechange agenda and, importantly, fits with the distinctive character of the university:‘our kind of academic’. A more general guiding principle is that appointing goodpeople attracts more good people.An immediate injection of talent is important but the broader objective is to changethe way the university goes about creating a research-oriented workforce as distinctfrom creating small pockets of high activity in the short term. The search for talentalso needs to focus on potential research leaders to build a research leadershipgroup, and a succession plan. Recruitment and selection strategies that bring inskilled, research active academic staff typically include talent spotting via extensiveuser of networks, tracking emerging talent, using national recruitment mechanisms,and hosting visiting scholars and talented prospective applicants.What it means in practiceRecruit active researchersThe reality of the global competition for talent means that recruitment and promotionsystems need to be highly flexible and support a proactive approach to recruitment.The responsiveness of the appointments system gives confidence that the university ismaking progress in its aspirations to recruit research active academics. In some casesFocus 4 — Developing a research-oriented workforce67
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A HANDBOOK FORExecutiveleadershipof
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A publication of the Centre for Lea
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ForewordDuring a period of signific
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AcknowledgmentsThis handbook was co
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IntroductionThis handbook is a sour
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Executive leadership of researchA c
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The principles and elements are app
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A background briefing on the eviden
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By far the best background or envir
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Page 43 and 44: REVITALISING PRODUCTIVITYDeakin Uni
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Page 51 and 52: Principle 4. Devolve leadership of
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Page 55 and 56: Recognise and reward research leade
Page 57 and 58: CREATING A CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE T
Page 59 and 60: Principle 5. Build on current stren
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Page 65 and 66: LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS WITHSTRATEGI
Page 67 and 68: Principle 6. Invest in research inf
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Page 77 and 78: BECOMING A SELECTIVELY RESEARCH-INT
Page 79 and 80: Principle 8. Invest in early career
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Page 83 and 84: BUILDING ON STRENGTHSUniversity of
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Page 87 and 88: strategy that meets best practice s
Page 89 and 90: is that they are there to help stud
Page 91 and 92: Principle 10. Strengthen the alignm
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Page 97 and 98: Kenna, R. & Berche, B. (2011). Crit
Page 99: About the authorsCraig McInnis is a
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