The Bloomsbury Handbook of Context and Transformative Leadership in Higher Education

by Mary Drinkwater (Editor), Patrick Deane (Editor)

Overview

The Bloomsbury Handbook of Context and Transformative Leadership in Higher Education explores the importance of cultural, political, socioeconomic and historical context in change leadership in higher education. With contributions from four continents, the handbook brings together multi-contextual perspectives to explore the importance of context to the development of the field. A broad range of topics are covered, including skills, strategies and dispositions; local, regional and cross-national partnership development; opportunities and considerations for technology; and, future visions. Countries covered include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Dubai, Ghana, Japan, Malaysia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the USA.

The book forms part of the Bloomsbury Handbooks of Crises and Transformative Leadership in Higher Education collection, brought together by Mary Drinkwater.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350406360
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	09/17/2026
Series:	Bloomsbury Handbooks
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.65(w) x 9.61(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Mary Drinkwater is a Lecturer in Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, and Comparative International and Development Education, at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada. She is also an Adjunct Faculty at Yorkville University, Canada.

Patrick Deane is the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University, Canada. He is also President of the Governing Council of the Magna Charta Observatory in Bologna, Italy, and Vice-President of the International Association of Universities.

Table of Contents

Handbook Series Foreword: Guidance for Higher Education in a Troubled Time, Simon Marginson (Oxford University, UK)
Handbook Series Preface, Mary Drinkwater (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto; Yorkville University, Canada), Yusef Waghid (Stellenbosch University, South Africa) and Patrick Deane (Queen's University, Canada)
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction: Contextual Considerations and Complexities in Crises, Change and Transformative Leadership in Higher Education, Mary Drinkwater (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto; Yorkville University, Canada) and Patrick Deane (Queen's University, Canada)
Part I Skills, Strategies and Dispositions
2. The Importance of Context in Strategic Planning for HEI Change Leaders: A Case Example from Queen's University, Canada, Patrick Deane (Queen's University, Canada)
3. Deepening Climate Change Leadership in a Faculty of Education: Local Strategies in a Global Context, Emily Dobrich, Hilary Inwood & Jennifer Sumner (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada)
4. Ascertaining Calm in a Crisis, Sanaz Adibian (Yorkville University, Canada)
5. Cultivating Socially Responsible and Ethical Chartered Accountant Business Leaders Through Learning and Teaching: A Focus on our Technological Future and Human Agency, Sapho Gwadiso (University of Cape Town, South Africa) and Judith Terblanche (Milpark Education, South Africa)
6. Leadership and the Changing Higher Education Landscape in Zimbabwe Since 1980: Surviving the Storms and University Relevance in Zimbabwe, Innocent Chirisa (Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Zimbabwe)
7. Higher Education Leadership Challenges and Responses to COVID-19: A Need for Ethical, Collaborative and Compassionate Leadership, Yushan Xie and McQueen Sum (University of Oxford, UK)
Part II Local, Regional and Cross-National Partnership Development
8. Virtual Maple League Teaching and Learning Centre - Collaboration and Cooperation Across Four East Coast Canadian Universities, Erin Austen (Saint Francis Xavier University, Canada), Angie Kolen (Saint Francis Xavier University, Canada), Toni Roberts (Mount Alison University, Canada) and Mary Sweatman (Acadia University, Canada)
9. Leading Provincial Labour Associations During a Time of Pandemic: Transitions in Pursuit of Safe and Healthy Campuses, Dan Laitsch (Simon Fraser University, Canada), Annabree Fairweather (Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia, Canada), Brent Calvert (Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of British Columbia, Canada), Sean Parkinson (Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of British Columbia, Canada)
10. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Performance-based Funding Model for Universities in Ontario: Tensions and Coherence between Provincial and Federal Policies, Atiqa Marium (Western University, Canada)
Part III Opportunities and Considerations for Technology
11. Higher Education in Japan: Leadership Response to the COVID-19 Crisis, Tanja McCandie (Tokushima University, Japan) & Jamie Taylor (Nanzan University, Japan)
12. Educational Leadership in Times of Global Educational Emergency (COVID-19): Challenges and Critical Decisions of Higher Education Leaders, David Baidoo-Anu (Queen's University, Canada), Kenneth Gyamerah (Queen's University, Canada ), Clement Soglo-Sevor (Ada College of Education, Ghan) & Felix Asante Larbi (Ada College of Education, Ghana)
13. The Use of Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) for Teaching and Learning: A Case of Malaysian Academics, Serena Leow (Sunway University, Malaysia), Kenneth Leow (Yorkville University, Canada) and Cheng Ean (Catherine) Lee (Sunway University, Malaysia)
Part IV Role of Context in New Visioning for HEIs
14. Past and Present Reflections of Higher Education vs Future Expectations of Leadership in Turkey, Nilüfer Pembecioglu (Istanbul University, Turkey)
15. Innovative Approaches to Academic Research: New Visions for Redefining Scholarly Activities in Higher Education, Maha Salman (Canadian University Dubai, UAE), Angela Antohi-Kominek, Reem Habib, Andrew Cutler (Yorkville University, Canada), Naveed Yasin (Canadian University Dubai, UAE)
16. The Role of HEI Leaders in Shaping the 'Higher Education for All' Policy Discourse for the Local Context, Sabita Ramlal (York University, Canada)
17. The Future of Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Foresight Reflection, Andrés Valencia (Universidad de Valle, Columbia
18. Conclusion: Lessons Learned and Ways Forward for Contextual Considerations and Complexities in Crises, Change and Transformative Leadership in Higher Education, Mary Drinkwater (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto; Yorkville University, Canada) and Patrick Deane (Queen's University, Canada)

Editorial Reviews

Positioned at the intersection of transformative leadership and specific higher education contexts and challenges, this volume provides 16 theoretically informed case studies that explore an intentionally diverse range of national, regional and local experiences. These are thoughtful, reflective essays on leadership in context, each with an explicit summary of lessons learned, contributing to a masterful collection of stimulating insights and illuminating observations.” —Glen A. Jones, University of Toronto, Canada

“This Handbook offers a diverse set of perspectives and authors, cohering around a social justice-oriented vision of Higher Education, and a deep awareness of the importance of contextualised, transformational HE leadership. Across the chapters a comparative, international and global understanding emerges, situated in nuanced analyses of rapid changes, complexities, and intersectionalities in the HE sector. Overall it provides a timely alternative to dominant discourses of excellence in universities, and will be of interest to academics and post-graduate students who research universities, but also to everyone who works in them.” —Michele Schweisfurth, Professor of Comparative and International Education, University of Glasgow, UK

From the Publisher