Book Review: Learner-Centered Leadership in Higher Education: A Practical Guide by Kerry-Lee Krause

Abstract

This critical review reflects on Learner-Centered Leadership in Higher Education: A Practical Guide by Kerry-Lee Krause (Routledge, 2024), a much-anticipated contribution to the higher education leadership literature of our times. The book presents a learner-centered framework redirecting traditional leadership models towards co-design, collaboration, and evidence-based decision-making. The book has eight thematic chapters addressing grand themes like strategic co-design, student engagement, curriculum innovation, quality assurance, organizational culture, and ethical leadership. Grounded in empirical evidence and case studies, Krause provides practical recommendations for academic leaders in the wake of pandemics and evolving learner expectations. Situating the analysis within the wider framework of academic literature, the review demonstrates alignment with frameworks such as the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (Komives & Wagner, 2017) and Leadership for Learning (Glickman, 2002). Though the book achieves a successful mapping of theoretical frameworks onto practical applications, it could benefit from further contextualization—namely, structural constraints, cultural pluralism, and the problems of implementation in non-Western environments. Furthermore, though the author mentions new technologies, including artificial intelligence, a more in-depth exploration of their managerial and ethical implications would render the book even more current in the accelerated environment of education today.The most compelling aspect of the book is its focus on collaborative leadership and participatory governance illustrated by students, staff, and faculty. Conversely, at times it is not overly specific in suggesting practical strategies in circumventing institutional resistance, a deficit noted in Fullan (2014) critique of systemic change. Generally, Krause's book is a must-read for university administrators, practitioners, and researchers concerned with building inclusive, responsive, and progressive cultures in the context of higher education. Where contextual adaptations are anticipated, the book offers a solid basis to build learner-centered approaches in policy and practice.