AHP leadership in academia: Opportunities, challenges and current positioning

Gibbs, Vivien; Griffiths, Marc

Abstract

The aim of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of the perceptions of key stakeholders in relation to the current extent of Allied Health Professionals in leadership roles within academia. The researchers undertook an exploration of the potential barriers, challenges and opportunities that exist for AHPs to undertake leadership roles within higher education and used the findings to offer recommendations for the future. Several themes emerged from the study, the primary ones relating to lack of confidence, a lack of motivation amongst AHPs to aspire to senior leadership roles, with a preference instead to focus on gaining clinical and research expertise rather than leadership skills. In addition, fewer opportunities appear to exist for AHPs to progress into senior leadership roles outside of the AHP sphere, due to a number of reasons which are explored in more depth in this report.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 13, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Feb 5, 2020
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Feb 7, 2020
• Journal: Studies in Higher Education
• Print ISSN: 0307-5079
• Electronic ISSN: 1470-174X
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 2216-2229
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1716320
• Keywords: Education, Allied health professions, Strategic leadership, Leadership in higher education, Healthcare, Academic career progression
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5338447
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=cshe20; Published: 2020-02-05