Leading Through Crisis: A Model for Education Collaboration

Vision

Lipscomb University's Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership prepares leaders to meet community challenges with vision, knowledge and compassion.

 

Situation Analysis

Originally the outcome of the project was intended to be a curriculum for a 12 - 18 hour graduate certificate in Civic Leadership following the Lipscomb University model of offering the first three to five classes of the master's degree program. The certificate holders would have the option to complete the master's degree.

 

Barriers

• The master's program might have to be reordered for the classes to stand alone as a certificate.

• Successful graduate certificates are often more specifically focused on an skill or profession.

• The certificate program might cannibalize the master's program.

 

Goal

To broaden access to and attainment of educational opportunities that develop collaborative leadership skills.

 

Strategy

The strategy to meet the goal of increasing collaborative leadership education is to create a blended certificate that teaches collaborative leadership skills in the context of a specific field. It will serve as a model for future blended certificates on how to leverage existing resources to meet specific challenges in civic leadership through partnerships within Lipscomb University. 

 

The following were identified as possible blended certificates:

• Cross-Cultural Leadership with the Lipscomb College of Business Center for Global Connectedness

• Sustainable Leadership with the Institute for Sustainability

• Crisis Leadership with the Institute for Conflict Management

 

"Leading Through Crisis" was chosen to develop the model for producing blended certificate programs.

 

Assumptions

• Leadership can be taught.

• Universities are the appropriate venue for this learning.

• ​The study of leadership is growing in importance.