Stokes, Michael, senior lecturer (1998) Leadership in further education. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This study is concerned with the leadership of the post-incorporation college of
further education. The aim is to determine the leadership attributes and role of the
principal/chief executive of the newly incorporated colleges and the influence of the
corporation and external factors on this role.
The 1992 Further and Higher Education Act gave a statutory duty to the principal to
lead staff in the college; what it did not do was define that role. The Act was farreaching
in its ramifications for the further education sector as it removed colleges
from the management structure of the Local Education Authority and converted them
into corporate, charitable organisations with autonomous governing bodies, variously
called corporations, corporation members or, board members. These corporations
were given responsibility for not only the financial status of the college but also for
the selection and support of the principal. The principal in turn becomes the Chief
Executive Officer(CEO) to the corporation, an unfamiliar business role as well as the
traditional leader of the college. With reference to the literature the historical context
of the Act and its impact has been researched and the influence and ideologies for the
changes have been identified. The identity, reputation and responsibilities of the
further education colleges have all been enhanced in part as a result of the Act and
partly as the result of a demanding Further Education Funding Council(FEFC) which
are at the interface between the government and the colleges and are the financial
masters of the sector. The change models for further education have been led by
college principals and their corporations.
The leadership literature has also been reviewed to provide the empirical support for
the identification of the leadership attributes of principals of colleges. The literature
on leadership is very substantial and much of it theoretical, contradictory and lacking
in application. Much of it is about non-college leadership but some is considered to
be relevant to the leadership required in colleges. The identification of what is
required was made up of the results of a survey of the attributes that were considered
important for leading a college of further education by the principals themselves. The
views of corporations were determined by analysing the application details for
principal/chief executive posts.
Since incorporation, colleges have had to face up to quite dramatic and considerable
change. Within colleges, principals have had a major role to play in the leadership of
such change. The factors that influence this leadership have been identified along
with their responsibilities as leaders. The corporations' view of leadership is used
both as a comparison and as a way of identifying their relationship with the principal.
This relationship is considered in the light of new and developmental policies in
further education on the election of a Labour Government in 1997.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Educational leadership -- Great Britain, Universities and colleges -- Administration -- Great Britain
Official Date:	December 1998
Dates:	Date Event December 1998 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Continuing Education
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Extent:	270 leaves
Language:	ng

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