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SUCCESSION PLANNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Prof. A. U. Rathod, Asst. Professor, Department of Political Science,

B.V.V. Sangha’s S. R. Kanthi Arts, Comm. & Science College, Mudhol,

Dist. Bagalkot, Karnataka

Received: 19/04/2017 Edited: 24/04/2017 Accepted: 01/05/2017

Abstract: Succession planning is a practice to recognize and to develop internal people with the potential to fill key leadership

positions in an institution. Succession planning amplifies the availability of experienced and capable employees that are prepared

to assume these roles as they become available. Succession planning in higher education is a comparatively new issue, and while

many institutions possess some sort of system for replacing leaders, few have implemented a formal succession planning program.

Higher education is adopting mentoring programs to encourage and support its next generation of leaders and to guarantee

continuity and balance it with the need for growth and change. It is important to have a culture that adopts a common sense of

purpose and aspirations in which there is not only no cult of personality but a genuine appreciation of people who put the

community’s success ahead of their own recognition.

Keywords: Succession planning, Higher education, Leadership, Mentoring.

Introduction

Succession planning is a practice for

recognizing and developing internal people with the

potential to fill key leadership positions in an

institution. Succession planning amplifies the

availability of experienced and capable employees

that are prepared to assume these roles as they

become available. The phrase “succession planning”

has a variety of meanings; sometimes refers to an

“emergency response plan” for the sudden loss of

leadership due to illness, death or unexpected

resignation. In other cases, it may be used to describe

a specific search for a aspirant to fill a vacant

position. Nevertheless, succession planning is most

generally understood to refer to a long-term

framework to develop replacements for senior

positions upon the planned departure of the

incumbents. Succession planning commonly

emphasizes the development of internal candidates.

All the way through training programs or “career

ladders,” junior personnel are led through higher-

responsibility positions in anticipation of their

advancing to the upper ranks of an

organization’sleadership. Succession planning in

higher education is a comparatively new issue, and

while many institutions possess some sort of system

to replace leaders, few have implemented a formal

succession planning program.

The need for Effective Succession Planning in Higher

Education

Higher education is an important sector in

the development of a nation. Although Higher

Education has made some progress in nurturing and

tapping the available talent, it is has historically

struggled to mine the profundity and richness of its

talent pool. Higher Education is alive with smart,

talented, dedicated individuals who given the proper

preparation may emerge as the leaders of tomorrow.

Nevertheless, in both Higher Education and

Academic Medicine internal promotion and national

recognition has historically been derived through

individual performance, grants, research papers,

annual meetings and awards. Moreover, there seems

to be little if any thought to team based leadership or

development of future leaders.

Conventionally, higher education has not

been given much importance nor been a hospitable

place for team based development. Staff members

are trained to research, teach, seek funding and

publish with little interaction or team based. Even

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though this environment is slowly changing, much

work needs to be done.At the same time as Higher

Education moves further into the new millennium,

an increased broad, international view of talent

attraction and development will match the changing

demographics of the world. Only the institutions

that strategically invest and support their emerging

leaders will continue to thrive and the one who do

not will continue to face a significant challenge to

compete.

Overview

Higher Education sector has seen a

tremendous increase in the number of Universities or

University level Institutions and Colleges ever since

Independence. The number of Universities has risen

34 times from 20 in 1950 to 677 in 2014. The sector

possesses 45 Central Universities of which 40 are

under the purview of Ministry of Human Resource

Development, 318 State Universities, 185 State

Private universities, 129 Deemed to be Universities,

51 Institutions of National Importance (established

under Acts of Parliament) under MHRD (IITs - 16,

NITs – 30 and IISERs – 5) and four Institutions

(established under various State legislations). The

number of colleges has also recorded manifold

increase of 74 times with just 500 in 1950 growing to

37,204, as on 31st March, 2013. The quantum

growth in the Higher Education sector is headed by

Universities, which are the highest seats of learning.

"University" means, in India, a University established

or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a

Provincial Act or a State Act and includes any such

institution as may, in consultation with the University

concerned, be recognized by the University Grants

Commission (UGC) in accordance with the

regulations made in this regard under the UGC Act,

1956. Each year, millions of students from within the

country and abroad, enter these portals mainly for

their graduate, post graduate studies while millions

leave these portals for the world outside.

Higher Education is the shared responsibility

of both the governments Centre and the States. The

coordination and determination of standards in

Universities and Colleges is handed over to the UGC

and other statutory regulatory bodies. The Central

Government provides grants to UGC and establishes

Central Universities and Institutions of National

Importance in the country. The Central Government

itself is also responsible for declaring educational

institutions as "Deemed-to-be University" on the

recommendations of the UGC.

Mentoring and Succession Planning in Higher

Education

Just at the same time as higher education

Presidents and their Boards of Directors have looked

to private sector business models to improve

processes, increase efficiencies and find cost savings,

more and more Colleges and Universities are

recognizing the need and importance for mentoring

and succession planning. With an increased number

of baby boomers looking to retire over the coming

years, the need for continuity in key executive

positions is critical to maintaining stability and

ensures the long-term health of their institutions.

Higher education is adopting mentoring

programs to encourage and support its next

generation of leaders and to guarantee continuity and

balance it with the need for growth and change.

However, Colleges and Universities are different

from private business. Their goal, which focuses on

serving students and the wider community seems in

stark contrast to private sector corporations whose

primary concerns are improving productivity,

generating revenue and driving bottom line profits.

Higher education has an immensely different

culture, with a greater number of stakeholders to

satisfy. Numerous stakeholders, means numerous

inputs when it comes to selecting a candidate for a

specific position. Whereas businesses have both the

flexibility and streamlined hierarchy to identify talent

and formally mentor a successor, the presence of so

many stakeholders – President, C-Level officers,

Boards of Directors, Faculty, even students and

parents – taking such an approach raises more

questions than it answers.

Formal mentoring has its own challenges to

face. Although the culture is receptive, mentoring –

grooming and coaching a protégé – requires time and

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attention. To share the spotlight with a subordinate

means to put one’s ego aside. The size of the

institution also plays a part; smaller institutions with

more limited resources don’t always have the time or

flexibility to provide the attention needed for

successful mentoring. One threat regarding

mentoring in a small college or university situation is

that the newly trained mentee will seek employment

elsewhere where they have a better chance of

advancement.

A less formal approach might be to identify

and mentor the talented individuals as a matter of

course. Nevertheless, it makes sense to encourage

talented individuals to stretch and grow by taking on

special assignments despite the risk that they may

take their talents elsewhere. But still, such an

informal approach to mentoring may work best for

Colleges and Universities who must address multiple

constituencies when filling open positions, unlike

private businesses, which may only need to consult

with HR, executives and their Board in making hiring

decisions.

When it is the question of filling key roles,

Colleges and Universities often choose to “cast a

wide net”. This is particularly factual in the case of

hiring a President for the institution. Several

considerations must be factored into choosing a

successor for key executive roles. There is a

requirement for balance, skill set, experience,

diversity, cultural fit. These things do not need to put

an internal candidate in a bad light. In fact, a search

that covers a larger and more diverse pool can often

bring an internal candidate into focus, drawing

attention and respect to their achievements.

Conclusion

A competent leader and good communicator

with strong self-esteem, constructs trust and loyalty

not just in oneself, but in the institution and the

culture too. Such a liberal mentor can build a strong

team from which to choose the next generation as

well as develop individuals who are ready to continue

successful careers at other institutions. The changing

demographics of recent years must be a key

consideration when making the open search required

to better reflect the diversity of your student body.

The longevity of your institution will depend on

open communication and an ongoing process to

identify and grow internal talent. Lately Colleges and

Universities are becoming aware of the need for

succession planning. The majority of the institutions

practice succession planning in some capacity. Open

searches continue to be the norm and continue to

bring value if colleges and universities remain open

to new ideas, focus on long-term goals and high

internal leadership standards. After pondering over

the issue it can be suggested that there are three keys

to successful transitions, the first is to have strategic

plans that are tied to existing performance metrics

and goals, but focused on long-term objectives that

enjoy widespread support throughout the

organization and for which there is a sense of

common cause and ownership. The second key is to

develop internal candidates for leadership roles as

there is always a high standard of capability within

the organization against which to measure the

qualities of outside candidates. And finally the third,

it is important to have a culture that adopts a

common sense of purpose and aspirations in which

there is not only no cult of personality but a genuine

appreciation of people who put the community’s

success ahead of their own recognition.

References:

• http://www.wittkieffer.com/file/thought

• leadership/practice/Education%20Succession%20Planning.pdf

• mhrd.gov.in/higher_education