Leading and Managing Contemporary UK Universities: Do Excellence and Meritocracy still Prevail over Diversity?

The paper uses a gendered and feminist perspective to explore some dimensions of the debate about excellence and diversity in relation to the leadership and management of UK universities. The paper considers the extent to which notions about excellence and diversity are in tension in UK higher education and how understandings, underpinning values and the practical consequences of excellence and diversity connect or are at odds with the equally pervasive idea of a university as a meritocracy. The paper draws on two recent research projects, one which examined the experiences and management of equal opportunities policies for university staff in six UK universities and the other which has analysed public service leadership, leadership development and change agency in schools, health services and universities in England.