The Evidence
The Leadership Ethos was initiated by Dr Nadia Soliman at Imperial College London. She observed that many negative situations could be avoided with a values-based leadership approach that puts people first. She wrote a guidance document which articulated our shared values and the universal leadership behaviours to uphold those values. The aim was to provide common understanding, set expectations, and empower and support everyone to contribute positively to their environment. The overarching aspiration was to create a tool that can support the development and embedding of a culture of leadership at all levels across the higher education sector. With thanks to over 200 staff from across the University of Bristol this has now evolved to reflect the views of the community.
Below you can find links to the background research upon which The Leadership Ethos was based.
The Leadership Ethos, N. Soliman, 2023
This report describes the evolution of the Leadership Ethos. It explores what leadership is and why
it’s important and describes how the Leadership Ethos was created to reflect the language, values,
experiences and perspectives of a range of research and research enabling staff of across all career
stages.
Leadership Survey for Higher Education, Advance HE, 2023
Higher education leaders [from all areas, in all roles, formal and informal, in all parts of the world
where Advance HE has a connection] were invited to undertake a survey to explore the question
‘What works for leadership in higher education?’
Transforming University Leadership, Times Higher Education & PWC, 2022
“This report examines how universities around the world are responding to the tertiary education
sector’s most pressing challenges and offers some guidance on how they can thrive in the future.”
Fit for the Future: Research Leadership Matters, ESRC, 2022
This review makes twelve recommendations which combine to offer a ‘paradigm shift’ in how
research leadership is viewed, cultivated, incentivised and sustained.
Research Leadership Matters: Agility, alignment, ambition, HEPI, 2022
This report addresses the ‘leadership vacuum’ in UK HE. It asks what research leadership is and why
it matters.
Realising Our Potential: Backing Talent and Strengthening UK Research Culture and Environment, Russell Group, 2022
Russell Group universities state their commitment to ensuring a positive research culture and
accompany this report with a Research Culture and Environment Toolkit.
What researchers think about the culture they work in, Wellcome, 2020
The results of a survey of thousands of researchers show that it is time for change, and that
everyone in the research community can help to reimagine research.
Some hard numbers on science’s leadership problems, Nature, 2018
“A Nature survey of 3,200 scientists reveals the tensions bubbling in research groups around the
world.”
Academic Leadership: Changing Conceptions, Identities and Experiences in UK Higher Education, Advance HE, 2012
“This report presents the findings from a research project on academic leadership in UK higher
education. The overall aim of this project was to explore and understand ‘academic leadership’ that
relates directly to the core academic functions.”
