Fully Funded DIES University Leadership and Management Training Programme for higher Education Managers 2024 (Oldenburg, Germany)

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Center for Lifelong Learning (C3L) at the University of Oldenburg (Germany) are jointly organising the seventeenth DIES University Leadership and Management Training Programme UNILEAD in Oldenburg, enabling young managers at higher education institutions in developing and emerging countries to successfully tackle every-day challenges. In order to do so, the programme brings together the topics Project Management, Strategic Management & Academic Leadership and Human Resource Management with individual and practice-oriented change projects of each participant. So far, more than 500 participants from over 50 countries have taken part in the UNILEAD training courses.

Developed in 2008, UNILEAD is part of the DIES programme (Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies), which is jointly coordinated by the DAAD and German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) since 2001 and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

UNILEAD focuses on three key areas:

1. Project Management. This includes courses on Methodology of Project Management and Financial Management in projects.
2. Strategic Management & Academic Leadership. This includes courses of theoretical basics and practical tools for the development and implementation of Strategic Management and acquisition of competences in the area of Leadership.
3. Human Resource Management. This includes courses on instruments of Human Resource Development, Conflict Management and Communication.

Participants’ Profile

UNILEAD is targeting higher education managers from developing and emerging countries. The two key criteria are:

• Applicants have been holding a university management position with managerial and personnel responsibilities no longer than 4 years in one of the following fields:
o Managers of central university departments (Planning, Quality Management, Human Resources, Continuing Education; excluding academic units such as Deans, Vice Deans, Head of Department)
o Task force managers for university reform projects o Managers of staff development units or programmes

• Active and excellent English language skills (speaking and writing) are indispensable. Phone interviews will be organised with short listed candidates to guarantee the requested proficiency.

Further criteria are:
• Applicants are university leaders preferably between 30 and 40 years.
• Applicants hold at least a Master’s degree.
• The provision of international experience will be an asset.

Participants from higher education institutions of the following developing and emerging countries are eligible to apply:

• South East Asia: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

• Sub-Saharan Africa: Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

• Middle-, South America and Mexico: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.

• Northern Africa and Middle East: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.

Funding

Funding During the contact phases the participants will be guests of the University of Oldenburg.

Following expenses will be covered:

• Course costs for participation in UNILEAD.

• Travel costs: Flights to and from Germany (Economy class) and ground travel to and from Oldenburg (2. class train).

DIES kindly ask the participants to make their own travel arrangements – they will then be reimbursed in cash upon arrival in Oldenburg. • Accommodation (including breakfast) and Welcome and Leaving Dinner at the two contact phases in Germany.

• Emergency health insurance during the contact phases.

Expected co-funding: Participants’ home institutions are expected to contribute to the course costs by paying a one-time fee of 300,00 €. In addition, local transportation in the participants’ home countries and visa costs for the stay in Germany have to be covered by the participants and/or their home institution.

Application Procedure:

Strict closing date of the application is October 11, 2023, 10.00 am Central European Summer Time. Following information and documents are requirements for an application:

1. Application Form including a clear practice-oriented Project Proposal – using the online-form provided on the website.

2. Letter of Motivation including date and signature – uploaded to online-application form as pdffile.

3. Letter of Recommendation from university top management (President/Rector or ViceChancellor/Vice-Rector of the university) including date and signature. The letter should describe and emphasise the managerial qualifications and leadership competencies, the future potential of the candidate – uploaded to online-application form as pdf-file.

4. Proof of excellent English proficiency (e.g. TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate) will be an asset (pdf-file). The Selection Committee composed of high-profile higher education management experts meets in November 2023. The selection criteria are based on the following points: • Personal profile match

• Motivation letter

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