Rectors and university-societal engagement: Representing the ‘reality’ of ‘their’ university

Globally, the past 10–15 years has seen universities experiencing increasing governmental reforms, including expectations for greater societal engagement. This places demands on the most senior university leaders to address and be seen to address these expectations. How do they situate themselves and negotiate their demanding role both inwardly and outwardly? We addressed this question in a case study of four rektors in four (of the eight) universities in Denmark. Using in-depth multi-mode data collection and analysis processes, we documented their lived experience negotiating the societal expectations of universities within the affordances and constraints of their roles in particular universities. Each was deeply committed to enhancing ‘their’ university’s societal engagement, externally representing the reality of ‘their’ university’s past, current and future visions of U-SE – against societal perception of the lack of such engagement. This involved outward, tête-à-tête, relationships with a range of societal actors, alongside downward, ‘leader-of-leaders’ distanced interaction throughout the institution. As the portal between the university and society, they were tracking, filtering, shaping the movement of knowledge between the two. The study contributes a richer conceptualisation of university leadership and university-societal engagement, alongside demonstrating the value of an analytic approach focused on examining individual and structural interactions.