Understandings of leadership in Australian private VET: Educational leadership – missing in action or just hiding? Roger Harris and Michele Simons University of South Australia

Introduction Major changes in leadership of VET organisations Shift in the relationship between educational leadership and management responsibilities Leaders challenged to strike some form of balance between business and educational imperatives Tensions inherent in these dual roles are an increasingly pressing problem Requires richer understanding, particularly in the process of becoming a more interconnected tertiary education system

Significance Common thread through VET literature - educational leadership ‘disappears’ This paper - investigates leaders’ understandings of educational leadership, how they balance tensions in meeting educational and business imperatives Research in this area, and the sharing of it through the wider training system, is of significant value, with leadership and management effectiveness being so critical for quality and innovation in tertiary education (Skills Australia 2010)

Literature Cf. schooling sector: a ‘golden age’ of sustained interest in educational leadership Research on leadership in the VET sector: generic management and leadership skills, capability frameworks Educational leadership appears to have become almost invisible

Research on VET leadership Roles of various groups of leaders Application of theoretical perspectives to VET Development of lists of leadership and management domains of activity Skill domains; capability frameworks Development needs of leaders and managers and how they might be met

‘Dual role’ Tensions – in balancing roles as educational leaders with business responsibilities Often do not feel willing or able to assume higher levels of leadership in the future Middle managers – particularly problematic in the new competitive culture of VET delivery (Consortium)

Research method 16 private RTOs – 5 commercial, 6 enterprise, 5 industry In NSW, Victoria and SA 34 in-depth, semi-structured interviews Limitations: numbers small, cannot be generalised, sites purposively selected, absence of direct observation

Educational Leadership Different to leadership directed towards external objects such as managing change Educational leadership directed towards: Business imperative shaped by importance of value of education and individuals’ development Serving the industry and being the best Driving innovation for the enterprise Focussing on learners

Impacts Two views Distinct forms of leadership need to be exercised and compete with each other for attention Business and educational leadership - two sides of the same coin