Page 21 - EDUCON 2022 Book of Abstracts

Keywords: e-learning, parents’ perception, COVID-19 pandemic,
technological devices

9. Kaapanda, L. N., Shavuka, T. N., & Herman, S. N., Academics’
Perceptions regarding Academic Leadership Roles at the University
of Namibia: A Case Study
Background: Academic leadership is considered a key factor in
universities, and its role has become increasingly important in today’s
competitive environment. Unlike other organization where leadership
positions are considered promotions, academic leadership positions
are not promotions per se as promotions in academia is based on
teaching, research, and community engagement which entail an
advancement from lecturer to senior lecturer to a professor.
Aim: The focus of this study is to ascertain how academics perceive
academic leadership roles and to describe factors influencing
academics to pursue or not to pursue academic leadership roles.
Methodology: A qualitative research approach, framed in a case study
will be used to investigate the phenomenon at a campus of a university
in Namibia.
Results: Understanding academic leadership supply may illuminate
solutions to what is becoming a crisis in many universities and
improve on academic leadership succession.
Conclusion: Existing studies on academic leadership are based on the
perspectives of academics who are or were in leadership positions.
Hence, a leadership knowledge gap exists in literature between the
academics and academic leadership. To bridge this gap in knowledge,
the current study explored lecturers’ perceptions of academic
leadership roles at a particular campus.
Key words: higher education; management; leadership; academic
leadership; academic leader

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