| dc.description.abstract | Does the current generation of middle-level academics in most African
universities, for example deans and heads of departments, adequately possess
the leadership competence required to handle prevailing and future university
obligations and challenges? In response to this question, this article, through a
systematic literature review, explores the status quo of leadership competence
of middle-level academics; factors that hinder leadership competence
development; and measures needed to enhance leadership competence in
African universities established out of mergers such as Kyambogo University
in Uganda. Here, it is established that the status quo of leadership competence
of middle-level academics, e.g., heads of departments, need improvement;
and factors that hinder leadership competence development of middle-level
academics can be perceived in two dimensions, i.e. “Institutional Factors”
(e.g., poor working conditions, ineffective bureaucracy, etc.) and “Personal
Factors” (e.g., lack of commitment, corruption etc.). Measures needed to
enhance the leadership competence of academics include upgrading university
facilities, adequately involving academics in university decision-making
processes, and depoliticising university management and leadership, among
other things. The article concludes that middle-level academics, such as Deans
and heads of departments in African universities like Kyambogo, must do all
it takes to improve their leadership competence, with other factors remaining
constant if they want to meaningfully address the numerous grave challenges
facing university education on the African continent. | en_US |
