Rethinking leadership profiles for collaborative and innovative activities in Higher Education Institutions in Zimbabwe

Abstract

In the context of Zimbabwe’s evolving higher education landscape, rethinking leadership profiles is imperative for fostering collaborative and innovative activities. This paper argues that people who are in leadership positions are the catalysts for collaborative and innovative practices in higher education. The study interrogates requisite leadership profiles for steering higher education. Leadership that enhances collaboration and innovation seem to be the answer. The question remains whether it is in the veins of higher education leadership. The study sought to highlight the profiles required by leadership in higher education institutions for collaborative and innovative activities. The target population were universities and colleges in Zimbabwe. The sample included one vice chancellor, 6 deans, 8 departmental chairpersons, 10 programme coordinators and 15 lecturers from different universities and colleges, among others. The challenges brought in by the need to meet national development strategies for Zimbabwe demand for excellence among leadership to lay a strong foundation for collaborative and innovative activities. The study was qualitative and employed semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires to generate data. Purposive sampling was done to select lecturers from colleges and universities in Masvingo province. The study found out that there is need for leadership to lay emphasis on team building, creativity, and innovation, set trends, push benchmarks, pursue boundary management, be visionary, build networks and culture and empower employees to promote collaborative and innovative activities in higher education institutions. Leadership in higher education must create several committees like teaching and learning committee, materials development committee, resource mobilisation committee, programme and curriculum development committee, assessment committee, among others, to succeed.