Who Will Lead? The Success of Succession Planning

Abstract

Succession planning is a practice that is relatively routine and expected in the corporate and government sectors, but has historically been problematic in higher education. This paper provides an overview of the main types and functions of succession planning for senior leaders, and considers opportunities for its application in the contexts of shared governance, transparency, investment in developing and promoting existing talent, and institutional considerations. The challenges and benefits of succession planning are discussed to provide guidelines for process.