DIES International Deans' Course

Professional Higher Education and Research Management - universities around the world are facing challenges from rapid changes in demographics, technology, politics, and funding. Because of this, higher education institutions need managers who are well-prepared and skilled.

To address this need, the DIES International Deans' Course offers training in higher education management in an international setting. It is designed to support newly appointed Deans and Heads of Departments by equipping them with the essential skills needed to manage their responsibilities effectively.

The DIES International Deans' Course is a joint initiative by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Rectors' Conference (HRK), the Centre for Higher Education (CHE), Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, and several international partner institutions in Africa and Southeast Asia.

The DIES International Deans’ Course is implemented in three main stages over a period of approximately ten months. The program acknowledges that managing higher education institutions requires a set of complex skills that are developed over time, requiring continuous engagement and reflection.

Part I: Workshop series in Germany

The first stage is a two-week workshop series in Germany, introducing key concepts in higher education management. Participants learn about current issues and solutions. By the end of this stage, each participant decides on a specific topic to address in their own Project Action Plan (PAP). A team of international experts advises participants on the feasibility of their projects, ensuring that the topics are both relevant and achievable. This helps participants apply their newly acquired knowledge directly to their work environment. From the very beginning, international experts provide continuous support, guiding participants in the development and execution of their PAPs. Progress on these projects is shared regularly with all participants.

Part II: Intermediate Meeting

The second stage is a one-week online meeting held a few months later, again supervised by a team of international experts from the region and their colleagues from Germany. Participants discuss their ongoing projects, share experiences, and reflect on challenges faced in implementing changes. This meeting fosters deep discussions and collective problem-solving, benefiting from the trust built among participants. The international experts continue to offer support, ensuring that participants remain on track with their PAPs.

Part III: The Final Workshop

The final stage is a one-week workshop in either Africa or Southeast Asia. Participants review successful projects and address remaining challenges. Ideally, by the end of the course, the PAPs should be completed, though this is not mandatory. Participants also have an opportunity to tap into expert resources and build a professional network. The workshop includes new information and collective reflections on the change processes, preparing participants for future efforts. The international expert team remains available to provide final guidance and support.

Follow-up and Alumni Networking

An essential part of the DIES International Deans’ Course is networking. The DAAD supports initiatives that connect participants with other activities related to higher education management. Many participants use these connections to start joint projects, exchange information, and establish various forms of cooperation. DAAD helps alumni stay connected with each other and with scholars in Germany.

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a self-governing organisation of German institutions of higher education and is the world’s largest funding organization for international academic exchange. The DAAD—which has responsibilities in the fields of foreign cultural and education policy, development policy and national higher education policy—runs a large number of educational activities to inform members about new trends and developments in the preparation of scholars and staff from tertiary institutions for the challenges internationalization brings institutions.

German Rectors' Conference (HRK)

The German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) is a voluntary association of state and state-recognized universities and other higher education institutions in Germany. The HRK is the political and public voice of the universities and other higher education institutions and is the forum for the higher education institutions’ joint opinion-forming process. The HRK addresses all topics relating to the responsibilities of higher education institutions, one of them being international higher education cooperation. In its work, it deals extensively with the challenges of managing higher education institutions.

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences

The Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, a medium-sized tertiary institution in the northern part of Germany, offers a wide variety of bachelor and master programs. In 2004, it began to offer an MBA program “Higher Education and Research Management” becoming one of the key tertiary education institutions to offer programs that give students both the theoretical and practical know-how to manage higher education institutions. Through the IDC, the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences has extended its reach beyond Germany's borders and is offering training in higher education management in an international context.

Centre for Higher Education (CHE)

The Centre for Higher Education (CHE), a think tank focusing on developments in higher education and jointly funded by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the German Rectors’ Conference, presents new ideas and concepts for higher education to the public and expert community. CHE, well known for their influential university ranking of German, Austrian and Swiss higher education institutions, offers numerous training programmes for tertiary institutions.

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH)

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) is a major German organization facilitating international academic relations through cooperation between outstanding foreign and German researchers. The AvH offers research fellowships, research awards and special programs for alumni and organizes many major meetings in Germany for scholarship holders.

Freie Universität Berlin

Freie Universität Berlin is one of the leading research institutions in Germany. As well, Freie Universität stakes out a place as an international network university in the global competition among universities.

International Partners

Experts from various higher education institutions in Africa and Southeast Asia are currently involved in the program:

• Prof. Dr. Abebe Dinku, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, Prof. Dr. Bassey E. Antia, University of the Western Cape, South Africa and Prof. Dr. Christine Onyango, Taita Taveta University, Voi, Kenya, are committee members of the DIES International Deans’ Course Africa.

• Prof. Dr. Duu Sheng Ong, Multimedia University, Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Gladys C. Nivera, Philippine Normal University, Philippines and Prof. Dr. Leenawaty Limantara, Petra Christian University, Indonesia are committee members of the DIES International Deans’ Course Southeast Asia.

Online Course Documentation and Material

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• (2018) A selection of case studies from Africa and Southeast Asia, Volume III
• (2015) A selection of case studies from Africa and Southeast Asia, Volume II
• (2013) A selection of case studies from Africa and Southeast Asia, Volume I
• (2011) Challenges for faculty management at African higher education institutions
• (2008) Management of faculties and departments as major challenge in higher education