Inside the Deans and Directors Development Programme

Senior university leader and higher education consultant, Professor Julia Clarke, who was the facilitator for the 2024 Deans and Directors Development Programme (3DP), reflects on her experience and its impact on participants in advance of the start of 3DP 2025. 

This year I had the privilege of being the Facilitator for the Chartered Association of Business Schools Deans and Directors Development Programme, or 3DP as it is fondly known. One of the best things for me personally has been the chance to inhabit again the business school world. The latter part of my career has been in central university roles - as Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton and most recently as Provost at Middlesex University. My first university job, however, after training as a chartered accountant, was as a researcher at University of Central Lancashire, then as a Lecturer in Accounting at Manchester Metropolitan, followed by 17 years at Leeds University Business School before returning to Manchester Metropolitan as PVC for Business and Law. Mary Tudor famously claimed that “Calais” was engraved on her heart; for me it might be “business school”. 

I described myself as an accidental Dean.  I hadn’t set out with a clear plan, but had been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take on a number of leadership roles at Leeds and things went from there. So, it is rather ironic then that I stress to my mentees the importance of having a five-year plan: Where do you want to be in five years and what is your route to get there? 3DP can be a really valuable staging post on your journey, providing you with an opportunity to review and replenish your leadership resources, to update your sector knowledge and, perhaps most critically, to build your network.  

Reacting to current challenges in HE 

When we gathered for our first module of the 2024 programme in the beautiful, frosty surrounds of Henley Business School in January, it was only a few weeks after the then Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had boasted in a New Year’s Day message that “from today, the majority of foreign university students cannot bring family members to the UK”. Already, we were seeing the impact in reduced January intakes with devastating impact on universities generally, but business schools particularly. By the time we held our final module in on a sunny day in Manchester in June, the Office for Students was warning that 40% of England’s universities would return a deficit this financial year.   

In challenging times having a group of trusted peers with whom you can check in, test thinking and learn from is invaluable. The 3DP provides exactly this. In our action learning groups, participants bring real life leadership problems to a process of reflective listening and open enquiry, using insights gained to commit to action. I know that the group’s WhatsApp (which as facilitator I am not part of) continues to buzz as we move into the next academic year.     

An inclusive, safe and supportive environment  

The Chatham House rule of 3DP provides an amazing opportunity to hear leaders in their fields speak frankly about how they have tackled challenges and grasped opportunities in their own careers. Amongst a wide range of topics, we talked strategy with Professor Elena Beleska-Spasova, Dean of Henley Business School; policy with Professor Sarah Sharples, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport; leadership with Professor Zoe Radcliffe, PVC of Business and Social Sciences at Aston, and inclusivity with Dr Ada Adeghe from University of Wolverhampton.    

Tackling concerns head on 

Andrew Corti, Executive Director of Finance at Middlesex University, tackled the tricky topic of university-business school financial relations. Dr Charles Knight of Advance HE and Professor Alison Truelove of Exeter University (who leads the £5m Research England project, Developing Business Aware Academics in which Chartered ABS is a partner) ran a brilliant session on business education for the twenty-first century. Ranging across artificial intelligence, environmental sustainability, generation alpha and social justice - we didn’t come up with all the answers, but we did have a rich and rather surprising discussion about the questions business school leaders need to be asking. We looked forward to responding to the next Research Excellence Framework (REF) with an expert panel of business school research leads and talked accreditations with Professor Hannah Holmes, Dean of the triple-accredited Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. 

With business schools teaching more students than any other subject in UK universities, we might expect to hold more of the reins of power at institutional level. It was a privilege to hear from Professor Nic Beech, Vice Chancellor of Salford University, who has led two universities on his leadership journey from business school academic to Vice Chancellor.  

Why take part in 2025 3DP

You may  have similar ambitions; you may be actively looking for the next step up within your  business school, or you may simply wish to develop your leadership in your current role; whichever it is, if you want to find out more about 3DP 2025 starting on 13 February or book your place, please visit: Deans and Directors Development Programme 2025