Christoph Trattner, Director and Founder of SFI MediaFutures, says universities should develop leadership competence before staff take on responsibility for people, budgets and strategy. Photo: by Max Shilov, Unsplash
Universities expect academic staff to demonstrate strong qualifications in research and teaching. Pedagogical competence is increasingly treated as a clear requirement for those who teach. But when it comes to academic leadership, the expectations are often far less explicit — even though the responsibility is considerable.
In this opinion piece, Christoph Trattner argues that universities should take leadership competence more seriously. Academic leaders are expected to manage staff, budgets, conflict, and institutional priorities, while also safeguarding the academic mission of the university. That requires more than scholarly reputation or willingness to step into the role. It requires preparation.
The article reflects on recent debates at NTNU and the University of Stavanger, and asks whether leadership in higher education should be treated more like teaching: as something that requires documented competence, training, and support before the role begins. Rather than relying on academic merit alone, Trattner suggests that universities should develop future leaders earlier and make leadership expectations more visible and systematic.
Read the full article in Khrono: Vi krever pedagogisk kompetanse. Hvorfor ikke lederkompetanse?