Developing a Contextually Relevant Leadership Programme for Administrative Staff at the University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
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Abstract
Purpose: This study examines administrative staff's leadership development (LD) needs at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Ghana, and proposes a structured programme to address these needs. It also seeks to understand current leadership practices at the university, with a particular focus on administrative staff, identify developmental needs in leadership, and develop a contextual framework for leadership development.
Design/methodology/approach: This research employed a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 administrative staff members from various levels and ranks within UDS. We also used thematic analysis for documents on institutional policies and strategic plans.
Findings: The study reveals a predominance of hierarchical leadership styles among administrative staff, with a growing understanding of the need for more collaborative approaches. There were five main LD needs: strategic planning and vision-setting, resource management and financial sustainability, community engagement and stakeholder management, change management and innovation, and ethical leadership and governance. We developed an overarching framework to guide leadership development in response to these identified needs, rooted in UDS’s unique mission of blending academia with community development.
Research limitations/implications: The study's findings may lack representativeness due to its reliance on a single institution. Further research could expand the sample by exploring other higher education institutions in Ghana and employing longitudinal designs to examine the impact of long-term programmes.
Practical implications: The findings serve as a foundation for designing and implementing targeted leadership development programmes for administrative staff at UDS. The proposed framework offers a roadmap for enhancing leadership capabilities, potentially leading to a significant increase in institutional effectiveness and service delivery in line with UDS’s development-oriented mission.
Originality/value: This study addresses a critical gap in leadership development research within the context of development-oriented African universities. Specifically, a focus on administrative staff and a contextually relevant development framework contribute to the theoretical understanding of leadership in African universities and practical efforts to develop institutional capacity.