Dean 2.0: The evolving role of academic leadership in the era of AI (Decano 2.0: El papel cambiante del liderazgo académico en la era de la Inteligencia Artificial)
Palabras clave:
Higher Education, Dean, Innovation, Research, Educational Leadership, Management, Artificial Intelligence , Quality , Faculty, Educación superior, Decano, Innovación, Investigación, Liderazgo educativo, Gestión, Inteligencia artificial, Calidad, ProfesoradoResumen
The role of the university dean is undergoing profound transformation in response to growing managerial complexity, heightened accountability, global competition, and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. This study explores how contemporary deans conceptualize their evolving responsibilities and leadership practices within this dynamic environment. Adopting a qualitative and exploratory design, the study reveals that deans increasingly operate at the intersection of academic leadership, managerial responsibility, stakeholder engagement, and technological transformation. Core areas of responsibility—faculty development, research strategy, student experience, internationalization, academic portfolio management, and reputation building—are now deeply influenced by digitalization and AI-driven governance. Participants emphasized the need for autonomy, institutional support, financial and data literacy, and AI fluency to lead effectively. AI was widely perceived as an augmentative while simultaneously raising ethical and cultural challenges.
The study contributes to existing literature on academic leadership by situating deanship within the emerging AI-enabled university. It highlights the shift from traditional collegial models toward comprehensive managerial requirements, and offers practical recommendations for leadership development in contemporary higher education
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