Why Entrepreneurial Leadership Now?
Why Entrepreneurial Leadership Now?
"Why Entrepreneurial Leadership Now?" – An edited collection of essays published with HEPI
June 2025
The UK higher education sector is at a critical crossroads, facing financial constraints and rapid technological change. To address these challenges, we present with HEPI “Why Entrepreneurial Leadership Now?”, a compelling collection of essays exploring the vital need for innovative leadership approaches.
Ceri Nursaw, Chief Executive of NCEE says:
“The UK higher education sector is at a pivotal juncture, where financial strain and technological disruption force a rethinking of institutional purpose. Entrepreneurial leadership must move from the margins to the mainstream to supercharge universities as economic powerhouses and ensure relevance in a fast-changing world. This collection serves as both a reflection on current realities and a call to action”.
Chapter overview
1. Pressure, resilience and sustainability – the 2024 NCEE leadership survey by Dr James Ransom, Head of Research, NCEE
2. Insider? Outsider? Surely it does not matter if it works by Professor Ken Sloan, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, Harper Adams University
3. Partnering for impact by Adam Doyle, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Careers and Employer Engagement), University of East London
4. Systems reform based on new models of inclusive growth by Andy Salmon, Pro-Vice-Chancellor External at Bath Spa University
5. Leadership in place by Professor Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Engagement & Place, Newcastle University
6. How should we prepare students for the future? By Sara Spear, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, St Mary’s University, Twickenham
7. AI – A leadership imperative by Professor Liz Bacon, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Abertay University
8. Leadership in challenging times by Socrates Karidis, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Coventry University London
9. International higher education leadership: it’s all about the people, people! by Judith Lamie, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for International Engagement, Swansea University
10. Degrees of disruption: rewiring universities as economic powerhouses – why universities must embrace entrepreneurial leadership by Amanda Broderick, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of East London
“I’m delighted to write about community-engaged learning as part of this collection of essays. Working with NCEE always encourages me to reflect on my own practice as a leader in higher education, as well as explore other ways of doing things, and this collection does exactly that.” Professor Sara Spear, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, St Mary’s University
“Our long-term sustainability depends on universities intentionally and visibly benefitting the places in which we operate. Operating in a complex environment and developing innovative approaches to partnerships in place requires us to think ‘from the outside in’.” Professor Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Engagement and Place at Newcastle University
“For the next couple of years (at least), those who find themselves in a position of leadership at any University will have to understand that, from the operational day-to-day to the medium or long-term strategic decisions, their actions should be guided by the sustainability requirements of their institution.” Professor Socrates Karidis, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Coventry University, CEO Coventry University London
“In six years, the University of East London jumped from 90th to 2nd place nationally in the annual numbers of successful graduate start-ups – proof that there are key strategic drivers that can accelerate innovation. Our success came from one simple but powerful principle: entrepreneurship must be everyone’s business, not just the Business School’s.” Professor Amanda Broderick, Vice Chancellor and President, Vice Chancellor and President University of East London