Brychan Thomas – författare

Exploring Consensual Leadership in Higher Education explores the idea that the nature of academic work is both creative and consensual. Higher education relationships, whether between managers, staff, learners or the public sphere, are at their most effective when rooted in partnership, teamwork, collaboration and collegiality. The term ‘consensual’ is used because it situates new leadership models as structures based on consent, reflecting tacit traditions in education alongside ideas of leadership in other settings, including emerging industries. The aim is to celebrate achievements, encourage engagement opportunities, and add to the problem-solving knowledge-base. However, issues and problems in participatory engagement are also considered, and the borderlines between consensus (collective assent and agreement) and ‘dissensus’ (widespread, serious, disagreement) are examined critically.The contributors offer a range of alternative perspectives on leadership, reflecting the diverse forms and ways of working practised in different national higher educational contexts and cultural settings. The volume incorporates a variety of approaches and points of view, including stories of leadership and change, innovation projects and case studies, key interviews and insights, and collective team writing.

Exploring Consensual Leadership in Higher Education explores the idea that the nature of academic work is both creative and consensual. Higher education relationships, whether between managers, staff, learners or the public sphere, are at their most effective when rooted in partnership, teamwork, collaboration and collegiality. The term ‘consensual’ is used because it situates new leadership models as structures based on consent, reflecting tacit traditions in education alongside ideas of leadership in other settings, including emerging industries. The aim is to celebrate achievements, encourage engagement opportunities, and add to the problem-solving knowledge-base. However, issues and problems in participatory engagement are also considered, and the borderlines between consensus (collective assent and agreement) and ‘dissensus’ (widespread, serious, disagreement) are examined critically.The contributors offer a range of alternative perspectives on leadership, reflecting the diverse forms and ways of working practised in different national higher educational contexts and cultural settings. The volume incorporates a variety of approaches and points of view, including stories of leadership and change, innovation projects and case studies, key interviews and insights, and collective team writing.

Academic Working Lives: Experience, Practice and Change examines the ways in which lecturers and their roles have developed in the modern academic workplace. The book offers insights into changing occupational roles, institutions and the adaptations around flexible and mobile working in everyday professional life. The editors have drawn together an impressive range of research perspectives and themed topics that cover the key aspects of academic professional identity and relationships, as well as reflecting experiences of learning and development at work in today's academy.The contributors explore lecturers' everyday working experiences in the light of the impact of policy changes, and the modes of academic leadership and management in contemporary higher education. Contributions reflect situations and contexts from across the UK and internationally, in taking account of the changing workforce, evolving pedagogies and new technologies in the working lives of today's educational professionals.

Academic Working Lives examines the ways in which lecturers and their roles have developed in the modern academic workplace. The book offers insights into changing occupational roles, institutions and the adaptations around flexible and mobile working in everyday professional life. The editors have drawn together an impressive range of research perspectives and themed topics that cover the key aspects of academic professional identity and relationships, as well as reflecting experiences of learning and development at work in today's academy.The contributors explore lecturers' everyday working experiences in the light of the impact of policy changes, and the modes of academic leadership and management in contemporary higher education. Contributions reflect situations and contexts from across the UK and internationally, in taking account of the changing workforce, evolving pedagogies and new technologies in the working lives of today's educational professionals.