Transforming Higher Education Through Compassionate Leadership

Dr. Karen Leong, Head of Online, University of Hertfordshire Business School

Karen Leong is an experienced academic leader with over 30 years of teaching in the UK and Malaysia. She specialises in e-learning, mentoring, coaching and strategic planning. Her research explores women's roles, identity and agency in embedding societal and inner harmony through culturally grounded qualitative methods.

In an exclusive interview with Education Technology Insights Europe, she shared her invaluable insights about the developments within the higher education sector, the prevailing challenges and the possible solutions.

A Journey of Leadership across Cultures

As part of my professional journey, I have moved across different cultures, countries and disciplines. Each of these experiences has influenced my leadership philosophy. I began my career in Malaysia, where I worked in further and vocational education. I then moved to the UK, which, for me, was a challenge and an adventure. Since I grew up in a collectivist culture, I realised I needed to adapt to the individualistic values in the UK.

Over the past 12 years at the University of Hertfordshire, I have moved from being a programme leader in business administration to leading an entire group that now reaches students across the world. Today, my role focuses entirely on online and supported distance learning, where I oversee the standards and quality of our Undergraduate and Postgraudate degrees that facilitates student engagement and collaboration with international partnerships.

Our supported distance learning programmes are designed to widen access for students in developing countries, allowing them to gain a UK qualification despite the barriers of geography and circumstance. From Trinidad and Tobago to Indonesia, our nine partner institutions over 15 locations reflect the stability and reputation we have built over more than 15 years.

Leadership Philosophy

I was born in Malaysia, where I was exposed to Chinese values rooted in Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Later in life, I started practising Transcendental Meditation, informed by Maharishi Vedic Science. These beliefs have impacted my heart-centred way of working. I lead with kindness, patience, and compassion.

I believe leadership is not about holding authority but about helping others grow. It means really understanding what motivates the people I work with, supporting their goals and being there when things feel uncertain. I create a space where everyone can grow at their own pace and see learning as a journey, not a race. This is something we practice every day as a team, whether through regular professional development sessions, peer support, coaching or mentoring that build resilience and encourage genuine collaboration.

In my doctoral research, I looked at how cultural values, especially those tied to Chinese traditions, still influence women’s lives and leadership today. What became clear to me was that none of us can truly thrive on our own. Relationships and community are essential for our well-being, characteristics that are relevant for all. They help us find balance, joy and resilience, even in the face of challenges.

By building a culture and attitude that encourages growth, openness and collaboration, I continually strive for to build a nurturing environment where staff and students can grow to their full potential.

Reimagining Learning and Teaching

When COVID-19 hit and disrupted education globally, my first instinct was not to rush into doing everything at once. I wanted to focus on people. I led the Business School during this time to embed online delivery and reminded the team that they did not have to tackle everything immediately and all at once. We could pick one area to focus on each semester or year, knowing that steady, thoughtful work leads to real, lasting change.

“Leadership is about enabling growth for ourselves and our colleagues, and for the students whose futures we shape.”

That approach gave us the confidence to adapt our teaching through mentoring, shadowing and buddy systems that helped us support one another and share responsibilities. I never wanted the group to rely on just one person, as we are each unique and bring different perspectives through our connections with others. That is why coaching and mentoring is such a big part of how we work.

Leaders shadow each other, programme leads support module leaders and visiting lecturers are integrated into a shared network where everyone learns from one another as technology is now available to facilitate this. It means that even when things are uncertain, we are building resilience together.

My goal has always been to make sure the group doesn't just get by, but keeps expanding in a culture of kindness, collaboration, continual personal development and planning ahead as this leads to a growth mindset.

Technology and the Future of Higher Education

The future of higher education cannot be discussed without acknowledging technology, and today that means artificial intelligence (AI). I do not believe that AI is a replacement for human teaching. Instead, it is a tool to enhance teaching. The critical task before us is to teach students discernment, helping them to think critically about what AI produces. They must learn to recognise relevance in context and how to maintain their own unique voice in a world of automated outputs.

As someone who works with partners across regions with varying levels of infrastructure, I stay mindful of the digital divide. Technology should support learning, but it should never replace the personal connection. What truly makes education transformative are the relationships, conversations and sense of belonging that students experience in different context.

I have found that partnerships really work best when they are built on respect, trust, and genuine collaboration. I do not tell partners what to do or how to run things. Instead, I offer a flexible framework they can make their own, depending on their context, institution, local infrastructure and students. That way, they are building their own identity and expertise, but with full support along the way.

Advice for Educational Leaders

For educational leaders facing rapid change, my advice is to take care of your staff first. Students are always at the core of our work, but the well-being of staff is crucial as they support everything we do. By building systems of support and compassion for self and others, we help staff feel confident and resilient so they can provide the best experience for students and enjoy the journey with them.

I encourage leaders to remember that it is all right to let go of control. We need to give ourselves and allow teams to rest, spend time with family and trust that with the right structures in place, others will grasp the opportunity to step up when the need arises.

The crux of leadership is essentially about enabling growth for ourselves, our colleagues and the students whose futures we shape.

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