Management Development Program (MDP)

Prepare to become a better leader of your unit, department, or college and a more valuable contributor to broader institutional goals.

Overview

Middle managers in higher education face a distinctive set of leadership challenges. They are responsible for leading their particular unit, crafting strategy, motivating staff, and allocating financial resources, at the same time that they work to enact the vision of senior leadership and mobilize support for broader institutional goals. To be successful, these individuals must be adept at managing both up and down the institutional hierarchy.

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A flagship program within the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education (HIHE) portfolio, the Management Development Program (MDP) provides higher education managers with the tools and insight to think more strategically, balance competing demands, and engage in more forward-thinking leadership.

Program Details

This intensive, two-week training program prepares mid-level managers early in their administrative experience with the skills to succeed in complex roles and shifting institutional and cultural landscapes. Through real-world case studies, small group discussions, interactive presentations, and other immersive experiences, you will learn to think beyond your own administrative area and lead in ways that support larger institutional objectives. Topics will include transformational learning, institutional values and integrity, personal, curricular and institutional perspectives on diversity, administrative challenges and athletic controversy, financial management for middle managers, and the importance of managing external relationships. 

You will gain a deeper understanding of how different units function and will leave ready to incorporate broader strategic considerations into your management decisions. A hallmark of the HIHE experience is the formation of deep and lasting relationships among a diverse and dynamic cohort. Through MDP, you will have the opportunity to learn and network with colleagues across the cohort, as well as to make deeper connections among assigned small groups that meet throughout the duration of the two-week program and maintain connections well beyond.

Download a sample schedule here.

Objectives

• Understand the characteristics of effective and ethical leadership in higher education
• Learn how to develop and lead high-functioning teams and function as a change agent
• Analyze financial data and understand how funds are allocated and budgets are created
• Understand your optimal role in planning initiatives
• Identify the conditions—individual and institutional—that increase opportunities for professional development and personal transformation

Who Should Attend

• Mid-level administrators with 3—7 years of experience
• Deans, directors, and department heads

Fees & Policies

The comprehensive tuition includes all instructional materials, refreshments, and most meals. Participants receive a certificate of participation at the close of the program. Payment or a purchase order must be received within 30 days of program acceptance, or upon receipt of the invoice if acceptance is within 30 days prior to the start of the program. Click here for more information on payment and financial aid.

Please click here for more information on our on-campus and online refund and withdrawal policies.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel programs at its discretion. In the unlikely event of program changes, the school is not responsible for non-refundable travel arrangements or other planning expenses incurred.