https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8388-7687
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ABSTRACT
Using the case study of HSE University (Russian Federation), this article will focus on how professional development programmes can be used by universities to ensure transformations and achieve their goals. It will focus on the administrative (professional services) staff and how universities can develop and leverage their potential in order to encourage innovative problem-solving. First, it will explore what the current challenges and frequent transformations mean for academic institutions in terms of administrative support, and what new demands emerge for administrators. Second, it will propose what competencies and skills are necessary for university administrators, so that they can provide effective support to the university in its ongoing activities and development under constantly changing conditions. Third, it will argue for the benefits of creating tailored professional development programmes, as well as illustrate how such a programme can be structured according to the institution’s needs citing the empirical example of HSE University.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Dr. Yulia Grinkevich is the Director of Internationalisation at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University) in Moscow, Russian Federation. Apart from her Master’s degree in Linguistics and Intercultural Communication and a Specialist degree in Biochemistry, Dr. Grinkevich also holds a PhD in Culture Studies from Moscow State University and a degree in Marketing from Moscow International Higher School of Business. She has worked in different state and private educational institutions in various roles for more than two decades. In January 2013, she joined HSE University. Her work includes development of support services for international professors and students which foster their integration into the university, integration of international administrative practices, as well as the development of a dual language environment at HSE University. Having always been interested in professional staff training and development, Yulia is also a leader of the HSE University’s professional development programme for university administrators. Dr. Grinkevich has been elected the Chair of the Steering Group of the EAIE Expert Community Strategy and Management of the 2018–2020 EAIE Leadership, and is part of the EAIE Barometer 2018 Advisory Group.
Dr. Valentina Kuskova is the Deputy First Vice Rector and a Member of the Academic Council of National Research University Higher School of Economics – Moscow, Russian Federation. Furthermore, she is the Laboratory Head of the International Laboratory for Applied Network Research at HSE University, the Academic Supervisor of Applied Statistics with Social Network Analysis, and an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Psychology. She earned her PhD Degree from Indiana University (USA).
Maria Shabanova is the Deputy Director at the Department of Internationalisation at National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University) in Moscow, Russian Federation. Maria holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from HSE, and a B.A. in Political Science from Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Maria worked for a non-governmental organisation in Russia on issues of non-discrimination and freedom of assembly and speech before joining HSE University in 2013. At HSE, Maria currently works with various departments and offices on issues related to integrating international faculty into the university environment, as well as edits and writes for an English-speaking university bulletin.
Notes
1 While there are different conventions regarding the use of ‘professional services staff’ and ‘administrators’ (see Sloper [Citation1983]; Whitchurch [Citation2007]; Bacon [Citation2009] for several of the distinctions offered), in this article, we will use them interchangeably.
2 Find more information on Project 5–100 in Higher Education in Russia and Beyond Issue 01, (Citation2014).
4 According to Baruch and Holtom (Citation2008), this rate is within acceptable limits for organizational research, where average response rate is 37.5% with a standard deviation of 18.8%.
5 More details about the project available in Russian, Proekt «Studencheskoe elektronnoe portfolio» [Project ‘Students’ E-Portfolio’]. https://www.hse.ru/aukr/projects2015#electronic_portfolio.