Facilitated by the LEAD Academic Network, visiting scholars from China’s National Academy of Education Administration (NAEA) at the EU-China Higher Education Research Center of Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the European University Association (EUA) met on 27 August 2025 at Vrije Universiteit Brussel for a focused dialogue on the future of university leadership development.
Following the opening remarks, the delegates compared recent developments in leadership training across Europe and China and examined persistent challenges confronting higher education institutions. Both parties underscored the ongoing tension between safeguarding institutional autonomy and meeting expanding governance demands.
The two delegations concurred that high-quality data are essential for effective leadership development. EUA shared tactics for structured peer-learning environment that value institutional diversity, while NAEA explained how they build leaders’ capacities through a blended mix of online and in-person formats.
The dialogue closed with consensus on several fronts: leadership development programmes must respect cultural and institutional diversity; clear expectations should be set for what leadership development programs can and cannot deliver; and peer-learning, not one-way transmission of research, should anchor future designs.
LEAD Academic Network Executive Director Prof. Chang Zhu hailed the session as a concrete step toward a more connected global community of university leaders. The LEAD Academic Network will continue to foster scholarly and professional exchanges on university governance and academic leadership and facilitate collaborative discussions among the network members.
