A decade ago, universities were primarily concerned with attracting the most talented students, strengthening their international standing and adapting to a rapidly changing technological environment. While these priorities remain important today, they are now accompanied by considerably more complex challenges.
Artificial intelligence is transforming learning and research, geopolitical tensions are directly affecting international cooperation, and society expects universities to play an increasingly active role in addressing climate change, economic development, public health and democratic resilience.
As a result, the very concept of leadership is changing. Increasingly, the discussion is no longer about administering institutions, but about the ability to operate in a complex, unpredictable and constantly changing environment. This also raises another important question: who will shape the future of higher education?
According to Dr. Hilligje van't Land, Secretary General of the International Association of Universities (IAU), what distinguishes the present moment is that universities are facing numerous challenges simultaneously.
"While higher education has always evolved, what makes this moment different is that multiple global challenges are happening simultaneously and reinforcing one another."
According to Dr. van't Land, it is precisely this combination of circumstances that requires universities to rethink not only their activities but also their understanding of leadership itself.
Three Changes Transforming Higher Education
Dr. van't Land identifies three key trends that are having the greatest impact on higher education.
The first of these is geopolitical change. In recent years, universities have had to adapt to an increasingly fragmented international environment in which political, economic and cultural factors have become ever more influential.
"The geopolitical landscape has become increasingly fragmented, challenging international collaboration, academic freedom and the open exchange of knowledge."
In this context, universities are becoming important actors in academic diplomacy. International partnerships, academic exchanges and joint research projects help build trust, maintain dialogue between different countries and cultures, and preserve open knowledge exchange even when political relations become strained. In this way, higher education also contributes to the soft power of states and regions, although its impact is primarily grounded in academic freedom, institutional autonomy and long-term cooperation.
The second important factor is artificial intelligence. Emerging technologies are transforming learning processes, the organisation of research and decision-making practices. Universities must seek a balance between technological progress, academic ethics and the role of human beings in a rapidly changing world.
The third trend concerns society's growing expectations.
"Universities are no longer expected only to educate students and produce research – they are expected to contribute to economic development, climate action, public health, social cohesion and democratic resilience."
This means that universities today are becoming not only centres of knowledge creation and dissemination but also active participants in societal transformation.
Why Is the Understanding of Leadership Changing?
These developments are inevitably changing perceptions of the role of leadership. For many years, it was assumed that academic experience, administrative competence and deep expertise within one's field were sufficient qualifications for successful leadership. Today, this approach is no longer enough.
"Today, academic excellence and institutional management alone are no longer enough. Effective leaders must be able to anticipate change, lead with strong values, build meaningful partnerships across borders and disciplines, guide institutional transformation and navigate an increasingly global and intercultural environment."
In other words, contemporary leadership has become a much broader concept. It encompasses not only administrative competence but also strategic thinking, the ability to mobilise communities, manage change and build long-term partnerships.
Continuous learning has also become increasingly important.
"The most successful leaders are those who continue learning, remain curious, exchange ideas with peers and are open to new perspectives."
According to Dr. van't Land, many of today's challenges have no clear precedent, which makes adaptability and the willingness to learn two of the most important qualities of effective leaders.
How Are MRU and IAU Responding to These Changes?
In response to these challenges, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) and the International Association of Universities (IAU) have developed the Master of Public Administration (MPA) programme, Global Engagement and Internationalisation of Higher Education.
This one-year programme is not a traditional management programme. It was designed as an international platform where academic knowledge is combined with practical experience and specialists from different countries work together to identify solutions that will help higher education institutions respond effectively to contemporary challenges.
Today, the internationalisation of higher education is increasingly understood as more than mobility or the expansion of international partnerships. It has become part of a broader concept of universities' global engagement – their ability to operate within the international knowledge landscape, foster dialogue between countries and cultures, build partnerships to address shared challenges and respond responsibly to societal change.
This programme has been designed specifically to strengthen this type of global engagement and strategic leadership. Particular emphasis is placed on strategic leadership, internationalisation, change management, interinstitutional cooperation, partnerships, quality assurance and innovation.
The programme's target audience is equally important. It is intended not only for university leaders but also for international relations professionals, public administration specialists, quality assurance experts, project managers, education policymakers and everyone whose daily work contributes to the advancement of higher education.
Since participants with substantial professional experience from different countries and higher education systems will be studying together, an important part of the programme will consist not only of learning from faculty expertise but also of learning from one another. Participants will analyse real institutional situations, compare the experiences of different systems and work together to develop strategically grounded solutions. Such an international professional community may also provide the foundation for long-term partnerships and future collaborative initiatives.
Leaders Who Not Only Adapt to Change but Create It
Reflecting on the future, Dr. van't Land emphasises that universities are, above all, learning organisations.
"Universities are learning institutions, and their leaders must also be lifelong learners."
This idea perhaps best captures the philosophy underlying the new programme. Future leaders will no longer be able to rely solely on their previous experience. They will need to operate effectively in an international environment, understand complex global processes, collaborate with experts from diverse fields and make confident decisions in a world where change has become a constant reality.
The programme's practical orientation will be strengthened through an applied capstone project, in which participants will address a specific challenge facing their institution or higher education policy environment and develop evidence-based solutions for change.
These are precisely the kinds of leaders that Mykolas Romeris University and the International Association of Universities seek to educate today – not those who wait for change, but those who create it.