Despite over 60 years of research on leadership, few
attempts have been made to ensure that the models of leadership are inclusive of women or other ‘outsiders’ (Alimo-Metcalfe and Alban-Metcalf 2005). This paper explores variation in the constructions of leadership, at a time of institutional change in higher education. Drawing on a purposive sample, including those at Presidential/Rector, Vice Presidential/Vice Rector level in
Irish and Portuguese universities, it compares and contrasts such senior
managers’ conceptions of leadership, as reflected in their descriptions of a
typical President/Rector and those characteristics that they see as valued in
senior management in their own university. Attention is particularly focussed on the identification and gendering of collegial/managerial characteristics, and the extent to which it reflects variation in these university contexts.