Helpful resources and networking opportunities for Heads of Academic Schools and Departments from across the sector, designed to support and enhance their role

Join us on Wednesday 17 September 2025, 13:00-13:45

The network meets once a month, online over lunch, to facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and peer support.  Our Autumn dates are:

Connect with colleagues in similar roles in a safe, confidential space to share best practice, seek advice and consider new approaches to addressing pressing challenges. The agenda and focus of each session is being guided by the network, providing a useful and informal forum to connect and support each other.

Register here for our next network online meeting.

Support and Guidance

Here is some support and guidance we hope Network Members find useful in building their knowledge and confidence, particularly now with significant changes across the sector placing strain and tension on these critical leadership roles.

Who leads our universities: Inside the recruitment of vice-chancellors

GatenbySanderson Partner Tessa Harrison and Josh Freeman from Think Tank HEPI examine the career backgrounds of 153 university vice-chancellors to explore tenure, previous roles and institutions, trends in gender balance and performance in university league tables, as well as setting out recommendations for recruiting vice-chancellors. Download here

Academic Leadership webinar series

  1. Academic leadership: opportunity or impediment? View the webinar
  2. Are Academic Leaders the secret to successful change? View the webinar
  3. Leading in unpredictable times: How do academic leaders normalise change?  View the webinar

Becoming Academic Leader

This report explores the experiences of recently appointed Heads of Departments/Schools in becoming academic managers. Download here

The Academic leadership masterclasses leadership development workshops

Designed for new or established Heads of Department, School or Institute, this is a suite of one day leadership development masterclasses that gives academic managers the tools and expertise to embrace and thrive in this pivotal senior role.  Download here

Outplacement Support and Career Transition Package

We’ve developed an affordable and flexible outplacement offer tailored specifically for the higher education context. Designed to meet a range of needs, it includes both scalable support for wider staff groups and more bespoke, in-depth support for senior leaders.  Download a short overview, including indicative costs, to give you a sense of what’s available

 

For more information, please contact Jenny.tester@gatenbysanderson.com