The Role of University Managers for a Successful University Development

ABSTRACT

The objective of the University Freedom Act (Hochschulfreiheitsgesetz) in North Rhine-Westphalia is to achieve entrepreneurial universities that are to be steered by their presidents and vice-presidents – in other word, their managers. For this purpose, along with management, leadership is also important. This paper attempts to determine how university managers deal with those tasks. Interviews show that the universities have different rates of progression, but without exception are still far from the goal. The type of manager in university managements is of central importance on the road to the goal. The interviews illustrate the manager type that is required to develop a university into an entrepreneurial university.

Keywords:

Germany, Governance, higher education, leadership, management, organizational development, strategic management, university management.