Abstract:

Over the last years, higher education is challenged by a number of interconnected transformational forces, which can be distinguished into four main categories: economic, social, digital and cultural. These forces create tension and act as drivers to overcome the status quo, while putting new challenges in the Higher Education institutions’ agenda. Transformational forces vary in intensity and some can push universities into actions, while others can pull them from action, depending on the level of satisfaction of the organization with the status quo. Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) in the Netherlands usually describe themselves as institutions that are at unease with the status quo, since they embrace change and they are constantly aiming for more efficient and effective ways of operating. The purpose of this paper is to identify the main transformative forces at Universities of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and reflect on their impact on faculty members. To achieve this objective a qualitative study took place. Specifically, after an exhaustive literature review on the transformative forces in higher education, three interviews were conducted with faculty members at UAS in the Netherlands aiming to evaluate their perceptions on the responses given to the identified transformational challenges and the role of leadership and organizational culture in this process. The study followed purposive sampling method, which is widely used in qualitative research for the identification and selection of information-rich cases related to the phenomenon of interest. The results, which were analyzed in relation to the Policy Into Practice (PIT) model and the framework for Leading the Transformation to Performance Excellence (LTPE) revealed the need to identify and study types of evidence that enables UAS’ leadership to assess the effects of their new policy agenda and its implications for faculty members. By investing more in helping the (individual members of) key stakeholder groups, such as faculty members, to comprehend the process of becoming part of the collaborative leadership, these stakeholders and UAS as a whole, stand a better chance to direct their efforts in achieving the goals of their new policy agenda: creating and implementing better, inclusive and context-rich education. While the results of the study can't be generalizable, they can serve as the starting point for further research in different contexts.

Keywords:

transformative forces in higher education, leadership, policy into practice model, leading the transformation to performance excellence framework