At the Vice-Chancellor’s meetings with heads of department last autumn, the role of head of this department was foremost among the topics we discussed. The minutes from the discussions between the heads of department demonstrate the complexity of the assignment, and it is possible that the demands of the role have only become more complex. Our operations are governed by external requirements in the form of laws, regulations, audits, and various government mandates. Despite this, it is often also difficult to predict and sometimes to influence how we navigate these waters: if, for example, the number of students decreases, a higher education institution may suddenly find itself under financial duress. It goes without saying that captaining such a ship is no easy task.
Moreover, the duties of a head of department can run the gamut – from participating in orientation week and handling personnel matters during the same week, to contributing to the departmental meetings of the heads of faculty or preparing the department’s budget. Something that also emerged from the discussions was that as head of department, you gain an incredible amount of new knowledge. You get to see your own department in relation to others and learn about your faculty works, not to mention the university as a whole. The time-limited nature of these assignments entails a common build-up of shared knowledge among numerous employees over time. The mentorship programme for new heads of department that will be offered in the field of Human Sciences, in which former heads of department act as mentors, puts this wisdom to good use.
Being head of department is one of the university’s most difficult yet important tasks. It demands courage, clear-sightedness and empathy. In every department, support from a management team and good cooperation with the head of administration are important. In the same way, support and close contact with deans, deputy vice-chancellors, and finally also the vice-chancellor are key. A major university like can only function when the responsibility for overseeing activities is shared by collegially appointed leaders.
This text is written by Yvonne Svanström, Deputy Vice President. It appears in the section ”Words from the University’s senior management team”, where the management take turns to write about topical issues. The section appears in News for staff.