Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education 155transparent systems of governance such as to ensure mutual
accountability and to achieve agreed outcomes. It is a good idea for the
institution to commit itself to the reporting templates set out for example
in the King Codes or the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and to
honour the reporting mechanisms set out by the Minister of Higher
Education.
Finally, however much one might seek to inculcate a common
vision, much of that might be challenged and debated in the academic
environment (and so it should, but that could be frustrating and may
appear to set one back!). I therefore believe that the role of a higher
education leader and manager is a modest one. It is to facilitate and
create an environment where a discourse of ideas for the creation and
development of knowledge can take place, as well to seek buy-in and
understanding of the ethics of the institutions and institutional culture all
seek to establish. It also means that the leader is just as bound by rules
and policies as anybody else. The President or Vice Chancellor commits
to abide by the laws of the institution and to deal with colleagues at all
levels with dignity and respect. On that score, Claudio Fernadez-Arnoz
is correct to say, “an organisation’s ability to choose the right leaders is
one of the most important controllable factors in creating and destroying
the company value” (HBR; October 30, 2012). In other words
“controllable” must be understood also as a “risk factor” that must be
anticipated and managed. Proof, he says in the title of his article, that
leaders matter. Often the fit between the culture and aspirations and
competencies of the institution and the candidate are important markers
of possible success, or failure.
That is perhaps easier said than done. The assumption behind this is
that it is possible that such a consensus could be found among such a
diverse community and interest groups as can be found in a university.
You might think not. At any one time the Vice Chancellor or President
of an institution represents the mind of the institution at a certain point