Higher Education Leaders Need More Than Experience to Succeed

## The Changing Expectations of Senior Leaders In the higher education sector, senior leaders are no longer expected to rely solely on their years of experience to make decisions. The changing expectations placed on these leaders have been evident over the past two decades, particularly with the increasing complexity of international student recruitment and the impact of visa policy on student numbers. ## The Limitations of Experience Experience remains essential for senior leaders, but it is no longer enough to make informed decisions. The past two years have challenged many of the sector's assumptions, with visa policy becoming a variable rather than a constant. In the UK, application withdrawals can outpace refusals, and compliance is increasingly reshaping student recruitment strategy. Australia is capping international student commencements, the US is less attractive to some students, and others are choosing to study closer to home. ## The Value of a DBA A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a practitioner doctorate focused on applied research, which can help experienced leaders investigate complex organisational problems and generate actionable evidence. Unlike a PhD, which often starts with a gap in academic knowledge, a DBA starts with a real organisational challenge that has practical consequences for people, strategy, and performance. ## The Questions We Are Not Asking Rigorously Enough Current decisions being made across international education often receive less rigorous investigation than their significance demands. Decisions are often based on dashboard data, anecdotal evidence, or the strongest opinion in the room. A research-led approach asks a different set of questions, such as what evidence supports the assumptions being made and are the underlying issues related to leadership, organisational culture, operational processes, customer behaviour, or market conditions? ## Impact Does Not Wait for Graduation The value of a DBA does not arrive once the degree has been awarded. The impact often begins much earlier, as candidates investigate real organisational challenges within their own businesses or sectors. Their findings frequently influence strategic decisions while the research is still underway. ## Who is a DBA for? A DBA is not for everyone. It requires commitment, resilience, and intellectual curiosity. It is best suited to experienced managers, senior executives, consultants, entrepreneurs, and higher education leaders who need more than additional experience. They want to contribute not only to the success of their own organisations but also to the wider knowledge and practice of their profession. ## The Shift Worth Making Experience teaches us what has worked before, but research helps us understand what will work next. A Doctor of Business Administration is far more than the next qualification. It equips experienced leaders with the ability to question assumptions, generate evidence, and create knowledge that strengthens organisations long after individual decisions have been made. In a world where change is constant and complexity grows, that may be one of the most valuable capabilities a senior leader can develop.