Challenges Vs. Leadership- Perceptions of Insiders from Chinese Universities

This study used the naturalistic inquiry method to explore the perceptions of22 selected administrators from Chinese Ministry of Education Directed universitiesregarding what kind of institutional challenges their institutions confrontand how their institutions function in the present, how their own roleshave been affected by the changing situations they face in their own contexts,and consequently, what are the competencies that universities leaderswill need in their universities in the near future. Special emphases are placedon the differences that exist in the challenges facing Chinese MOE directeduniversities located in differently geographical, cultural and economical contexts,and the differences among the perceptions of current university leaders,aspiring leaders, and retired university leaders regarding institutionalchallenges and leadership competencies. This study yields information thatmay be useful for the researchers and higher education administrators insideand outside China if they want to understand the current Chinese higher educationsituation. At least, they can gain some information from these MOE-directeduniversity administrators perceptions and experiences. They also canunderstand the Chinese higher education system through the historical, political,economical, cultural and demographical reviews of the study.