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By Prof Hester C. Klopper
Universities are currently standing at the crossroads of two worlds. We find ourselves at an extraordinary moment in human history – a moment that demands us to confront an uncomfortable truth.
Artificial intelligence capabilities are advancing exponentially, doubling in power every few months. However, our educational systems remain largely unchanged from their industrial-era origins. In an era where artificial intelligence can pass medical board examinations and quantum computing promises to revolutionise our understanding of complex problems, we might be forgiven for believing that the future of leadership lies in mastering algorithms and data analytics.
Yet, as I reflect on my journey as the 15th Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State and the first woman in its 121-year history to lead the university, I am convinced that the most transformative leadership – particularly in higher education – emerges not from harnessing technology, nor from a clinical emulation of what works elsewhere. It stems from the tried and tested, age-old, irreplaceable capacity to lead with heart.
The heart, both as organ and metaphor, represents the vital centre from which life flows. In institutional leadership, leading with heart encompasses far more than emotional intelligence or empathetic decision-making. It embodies a profound understanding that universities are fundamentally human enterprises, requiring leaders who recognise the dignity and potential inherent in every individual who walks through our campus gates.
The transformative power of heart-centred leadership
Leading with heart means creating psychological safety. This implies environments where students dare to ask the questions that challenge conventional wisdom, where researchers feel empowered to pursue seemingly impossible discoveries, and where a conducive and fearless environment exists where psychological safety prevails and our staff members are allowed to innovate and experiment – where there is room to fail, but to fail forward.
Amy Edmondson, Professor in Leadership at Harvard Business School, reminds us that “for knowledge work to flourish, the workplace must be one where people feel able to share their knowledge” – including their concerns, questions, mistakes, and half-formed ideas”. This approach becomes particularly crucial when we consider the seismic shifts reshaping higher education.
Universities worldwide are grappling with exponential technological advancement while simultaneously addressing persistent inequalities and evolving student needs. In such turbulent times, leaders who operate solely from analytical frameworks risk creating institutions that function efficiently but fail to inspire. Heart-centred leadership, on the other hand, recognises that transformation occurs not merely through strategic planning, but through igniting passion and purpose in the communities we serve.
Women in leadership: Redefining strength in academia
Women’s leadership in higher education brings unique perspectives that are particularly vital in our current reality. Women leaders often embody what is termed ‘collaborative strength’ – the ability to build consensus while maintaining clear vision, to demonstrate vulnerability while exercising authority, and to prioritise relationships alongside results. This is not to suggest that leadership qualities are strictly gender-determined, but rather to acknowledge that women often bring particular approaches that enrich institutional culture.
Women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions across universities globally. Yet, when women do assume leadership roles, research consistently demonstrates their effectiveness in fostering inclusive environments and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. Women leaders frequently demonstrate what researchers call ‘transformational leadership’ – inspiring others through vision and individual consideration rather than relying solely on positional authority.
At the University of the Free State, there are a number of focused development initiatives aimed at tapping into this potential and addressing historical disadvantages of women in academia. One of these is the Women Influencing Scholarship and Education (WISE) Programme, which recognises the unique challenges that mid-career women academics face, and provides targeted support and strategic career planning. This initiative forms part of our Transformation of the Professoriate Mentorship Programme.
My own journey has taught me that leading with heart as a woman in higher education requires particular courage. It means refusing to suppress natural inclinations towards nurturing and collaboration in favour of more traditionally ‘masculine’ leadership styles. It involves demonstrating that strength can manifest through compassion, that decisiveness can coexist with consultation, and that vulnerability can enhance rather than undermine authority.
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The heart as institutional DNA
Universities with hearts become magnets for exceptional talent – for both students and staff who seek environments where their contributions matter. When institutions prioritise care alongside excellence, they create cultures where innovation flourishes naturally. People take intellectual risks when they feel supported. They pursue ambitious research when they believe their institutions value discovery alongside publication figures. And when they experience institutional commitment to their own development.
This heart-centred approach proves particularly essential in addressing higher education’s sustainability challenges. As government funding decreases proportionally and institutions face pressure to diversify income streams, the temptation exists to prioritise short-term financial gains over long-term mission integrity. Leading with heart means maintaining unwavering commitment to educational access and quality while pursuing financial sustainability. It means recognising that our most valuable assets are not our buildings or facilities, but the relationships we build and the trust we earn.
Responsible societal futures
At the UFS, the most profound expression of leading with heart lies in our commitment to our North Star – ‘Responsible Societal Futures’ – using our knowledge and resources to build a more just, sustainable, and humane society. This concept recognises that universities cannot exist as ivory towers disconnected from the pressing challenges facing our communities and world. Instead, we must embrace our role as catalysts for positive social transformation.
Leading with heart means accepting responsibility for addressing the ‘wicked problems’ of our time: climate change, inequality, technological disruption, and social fragmentation. It requires that we channel our research excellence towards solutions that serve not merely academic curiosity, but genuine human need. When university leaders operate from this heart-centred perspective, they create institutions that measure success not only by publication counts or research rankings, but by the tangible impact their work has on improving lives and strengthening communities.
The courage to care
Perhaps most importantly, leading with heart requires extraordinary courage – the courage to prioritise long-term institutional health over short-term gains, and to have a wider, society-focused vision. It demands that we believe in our capacity to create positive change.
As we navigate an uncertain future, universities need leaders who combine analytical precision with emotional wisdom, and strategic thinking with genuine care. The heart provides the moral compass that ensures our institutions remain true to their fundamental purpose: serving humanity’s highest aspirations through the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge.
Leading with heart is not an approach we adopt during stable times and abandon during crises. It is precisely during our most challenging moments that heart-centred leadership becomes most essential. And the double-edged sword presented by the burgeoning of AI in higher education constitutes precisely such a challenging moment. It is only when we lead with a people-centred approach that we create institutions worthy of the trust society places in us – institutions that not only adapt to change but lead change towards a better future for all.
Prof Hester Klopper (PhD; MBA) is the Vice Chancellor and Principal at the University of the Free State
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