5th ISA Forum of Sociology (6-11 July 2025)

Universities are meant to produce graduates, as many as they can, and fit for purpose. A measure of an “effective” university is the level of good governance and leadership. In both developing and developed societies, the notion of reform arises out of the need to become more relevant, more modernised and more efficient. Whilst universities are driven by specific, varied and complex agendas, some overt and some covert, they are in many ways organisations whose success and survival depends on organisational strength, strong frameworks and clear processes for effective functioning. This paper aims to explore the dilemmas, challenges and potentials in university governance with respect to the following within the framework of socio-historic, socio-political and socio-economic thoeries:

1. Institutional leadership, management and governance.
2. The professionalisation of governance and management.
3. The introduction of reforms in developing societies.
4. Modernisation with respect to history and culture in both developed and developing societies.

Key features of some of the dilemmas, challenges and and potentials are the forces of competing public and private interests, the contradictions that arise as a result of the unintended and intended consequences of wider policy issues and the impact of the neo-liberal agenda on university reform.