Leadership in a New Era of Higher Distance Education

This chapter outlines the challenges in the current situation in higher education, the leadership issues and requirements for a new era in higher education, and the strategic planning that will support this process of transformation. Some research findings indicate the need for a strong leadership in HEI in order to overcome resistance and realize success in education innovation. Distributed leadership takes a new and useful meaning when we see it in reference to developing virtual communities. Strategic planning is now a corollary to strategic leadership processes within companies and institutions. Traditional methods of operating in higher education date back to the monastic schools of the seventh century AD and early European schools of the thirteenth century. The time lapse alone provides an impetus to assess and revitalize systems of higher education still employing the methods. The convergence of the ever-continuous scientific discoveries in telecommunications and technology allows for important changes in information production, storage, and access.