Women's Leadership Network - Press releases
Tuesday 17 June 2008
Women's Leadership Network is open for business
The Women's Leadership Network (WLN) held its first conference in London on Monday 9 June 2008. Nearly one hundred leaders and managers gathered to hear the experiences of top female leaders in education and examine ways of promoting the progression of more women to leadership roles in the further education and skills sector.
Sally Dicketts, chair of WLN and principal of Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, chaired the event. Having thanked the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) for its strong support, she said, "We face a number of challenges in the sector, including the fact that many college leaders, mostly men, are due to retire in the next five years. While women represent around 60 per cent of the FE workforce, only 28 per cent of principals in England are women. If we are to succeed in building capacity for succession, we must ensure that women who aspire to leadership roles receive the support and encouragement they need in order to thrive.
"We want women to recognise the different leadership styles in different cultures and realise that they are all valid. It is important that women should not think that it is too tough at the top. Even those who do not want to be leaders should be allowed to succeed. Women who have been away from work, to raise children or care for an elderly relative, for example, should be welcomed back. We need to entice more women into the profession and look after those who are already there."
Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, said, "I hope that the Women's Leadership Network will eventually become self-sustaining and thus a permanent feature of our further education and skills landscape. If it does that, it will thrive with the support of college leaders who recognise the importance of encouraging women in their workforce to progress. It’s my belief that every college should take up membership of the Network for the benefit of their staff. And I urge those who are not yet members to do so now.
"A further education and skills system that offers an equal chance to everyone – whether staff or learners – is the system that this country needs and deserves."
Lady Prosser said, "I am delighted to be patron of the Women’s Leadership Network, and I strongly believe that our time has come – as shown by the strong turnout here today."
Professor Janet Beer, Vice-Chancellor at Oxford Brookes University, had this message for delegates: "One of the hardest things for women to learn is that, when thinking about capacities and competencies, we should not neglect to bring experience from any part of our careers – and from time spent caring for dependents. We must make sure that we encourage others as we have been encouraged, and take every opportunity for staff development and training. Shamelessly plagiarise examples of good practice in leadership, wherever you find it. Remember that nothing is wasted and don’t bother to fester – the best revenge is success."
Janet Smith, the director of quality and innovation at South Thames College, said, "Janet Beer was excellent – she provided a role model for leadership that was both effective and defined by her own identity." Another delegate described the story of Professor Beer's leadership journey as "inspirational, funny and real".
WLN's schedule of programmes and events for 2008-09 was announced at the conference, and the first programmes will start in October. An online survey has been published on the website, and leaders and staff at all levels in the sector are invited to offer their views, which will inform the planning of future programmes, services and events.
Next year's conference will be held in London on Wednesday 10 June 2009.
| 
