Keynote by Prof. Leišytė at the HERCulES Conference of Academia Europaea
Prof. Liudvika Leišytė discussed in her keynote at the HERCulES Conference of Academia Europaea the importance and power dynamics of stakeholders in the governance of universities in Europe.
From 21 to 23 May 2025, the HERCulES Conference of Academia Europaea, organized by the Wenner-Gren Foundations in Stockholm, brought together international experts to discuss “Institutional Perspectives on Universities: The Role of Leadership, Administration, Stakeholders and Risks.”
Over three days, four key dimensions shaping the future of higher education were explored:
- Leadership – and the rise of strategic governance
- Administration – growing structures and centralization
- Stakeholders – the tension between autonomy and external influence
- Risks – increasing demands, relevance debates, and institutional pressure
In her keynote speech at the opening of the plenary session “Stakeholders: Beyond the state,” Prof. Leišytė explored the question of how external stakeholders impact teaching content and methodologies, research directions, and institutional autonomy – key considerations for grasping the role of external stakeholders in higher education governance.