A national approach: Foregrounding programme leadership in Scotland

This chapter explores programme leadership in a collaborative, multi-institutional context arguing cross-institutional connection offers programme leaders (PLs) opportunities for greater depth of learning and opportunities to build networks and platforms that enhance both the value and prestige of their leadership position.

The chapter reflects on the authors' work in Scotland establishing a cross-sector ‘Collaborative Cluster’ tasked with better understanding the diversity of approaches taken to programme leadership, sharing experience and practical resources and identifying areas for collaborative learning and development.

Bringing together the PLs and those responsible for enhancing institutional practice and support, the Collaborative Cluster succeeded in developing a Scotland-wide schedule of work to address some key challenges including leading without authority, role confusion, working with programme-level data and a lack of role-specific opportunities for professional development. Exploring the work of the Cluster, the chapter offers evidence of value, success and inspiration for action in the following three key areas:

Vignettes of practice from the frontline of programme leadership

Collaboration for developing institutional and individual conversation to initiate changed practice

Recognition and reward for those in PL roles

Webb's Canadian practitioner response reflects on the value of this collaborative approach to understanding and supporting programme leadership.