Following the recent session on Strategic Thinking and Innovation in Leadership for Higher Education (HE) with Caroline Dunne in March, GuildHE will be running a series of three 90-minute online workshops designed for early-career and aspiring leaders, giving them tools they can apply immediately in their institutions.

The three workshops align with the priority areas identified by GuildHE for leadership development: navigating HE governance, managing teams and projects, and influencing and communication.

Session 1 of 3: Navigating HE Governance with Confidence 

Demystifying governance structures in HE, how decisions are made and how to contribute with clarity and impact

This workshop provides practical insights to governance in higher education - how committees operate and how you can confidently play your part within them. We will unpack the different types of committees, roles and responsibilities, and the real-world practices that make governance work: shaping agendas, preparing papers, contributing in meetings, chairing with confidence, and ensuring robust follow-up. We will also explore common pitfalls - such as unclear remits, weak communication ‘up’ and ‘out’, poorly structured papers - and draw on sector good practice to show how effective governance supports faster, clearer decision-making. Good practice is contrasted with examples of what can go wrong when governance is not working effectively.

About the speaker:

Caroline Dunne is a Leadership Coach and Change Practitioner with over 25 years’ experience working with senior leaders in complex, fast-evolving higher environments. She partners with academic and professional services leaders who are navigating sustained pressure, uncertainty and major change.

Caroline’s work is grounded in lived experience. She has held senior executive and advisory roles across diverse universities in the UK and Australia, including serving as Chief of Staff to a Vice-Chancellor at a large, multi-campus institution. From the executive corridor to faculties, schools and central portfolios, Caroline has led and supported large-scale transformation programmes, cultural renewal and the development of internal change leadership capability.

Cost:

  • £40 (per session)
  • £110 (discounted rate for all three sessions)

Registrations links: To secure your place, please register and complete payment either for the session of interest or for the entire series.

Register for this session only    Register for all sessions

GuildHE Strategic Thinking in Leadership Workshop with Caroline Dunne session links:

  • Session 1 of 3 (15 June 13:00-14:30): Navigating HE Governance (this webpage)
  • Session 2 of 3 (23 June, 13:00-14:30): Managing Teams and Projects
  • Session 3 of 3 (3 July, 13:00-14:30): Influencing and Communication

Available to GuildHE members only. To know more about GuildHE membership, please email [email protected]