Leadership of Deans: Difficulties and Challenges for Deans at Private Universities in the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam

Abstract

Private universities have been mushrooming in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, and this requires necessary changes in university administration, especially educational administrators. This study investigates difficulties and challenges that deans at private universities in the region have been facing. The study is a qualitative one in which semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were conducted for data collection. Twelve deans and 18 departmental heads and vice heads from 3 private universities in the Mekong Delta participated in this study. The findings of the research indicate that deans’ difficulties and challenges could be categorized in three main areas: autonomy, leadership styles, and resources.

Keywords: deans, private universities, Vietnam, difficulties, challenges, autonomy, leadership