Interregnum: disruption and the in-between time for higher education

Higher education in the developed world is challenged and disrupted by shifts in public policy, economic and social issues, changing demographics and emergent technologies. Policymakers and leaders are beginning to imagine a different future for colleges and universities, one in which a new paradigm for teaching, learning, research and collaboration will need to emerge. The shift from a “business as usual” paradigm to a new one will take time and involve difficult challenges and disruption. The resultant “in-between time” (known as an interregnum) will be difficult for leaders to manage. It requires anticipatory governance rather than the dominant new public management forms of governance and courageous leadership, both of which pose challenges for institutions. This paper explores the implications of the paradigm shifts now underway.