Leading together, growing stronger: collegial institute boards in practice
A year ago, we launched something new: a way of working together that puts collaboration, equality and mutual support at the heart of how we lead. But how does that actually play out in daily life? Three colleagues share their experiences with collegial institute boards.
What does shared leadership really mean in daily practice? To support the shift to the new leadership model with collegial institute boards, we also introduced a development programme for all faculty and institute board members. The aim? To build knowledge and skills together, gain fresh ideas from one another, and help bring this new approach to life – not just on paper, but in the way we work every day. Because shared leadership isn’t just about structure – it’s about how we collaborate, give space to different perspectives, and stay in open conversation with each other. A way of working where we grow stronger together.
What has changed?
Instead of having one institute director and a management team, each institute now has three directors, each with their own area of responsibility: a scientific director, an education director and an operational director. Together, they’re jointly responsible for leading the institute.
‘We look at every challenge together’
At the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), all three directors started at the same time under the new structure. ‘We set up a new governance structure to make sure there’s enough communication within the board, and between the board, the management team and the rest of the institute,’ explains Director of Operations Maribel Adame Valero.
Responsibility no longer rests with just one person. Maribel: ‘I can imagine that, in the past, the scientific director had to carry a lot. Now we lead as a team and look at every challenge together, from different angles.’
‘Decision-making has improved’
‘Things haven’t changed dramatically at LION,’ says Scientific Sirector Sense Jan van der Molen. ‘We already worked based on consensus. But the formal structure now better reflects how we actually work. And it’s helpful that all three of us have the board’s mandate, especially if one or two of us are unavailable. In urgent situations, there’s almost always someone present to represent the board.’
Sense Jan also sees advantages in dividing the leadership tasks. ‘In my view, it really improves the decision-making process, because it always includes input from both the education and financial perspectives.’
‘It’s good that education now plays a central role in management’
For Stefano Cucurachi, Director of Education at the CML, the process of introducing the new leadership model was both constructive and insightful. ‘Thinking it through together helped us better understand each other’s roles. It’s brought more clarity across the faculty.’
And there are other benefits, according to Stefano. ‘What I really value is that education now has a central role in how institutes are managed. This model also allows us to focus more structurally on the career development of staff – including those who are involved in teaching innovation and support. That, in turn, helps us maintain high-quality education.’
Adame Valero adds: ‘A culture of open and honest communication is essential. Clear role definitions support that.’
The completion of the leadership programme marks an important step forward. And this is just the beginning. In the coming period, there will be room for further reflection, deeper collaboration and strengthening how we lead together – so we can keep building a connected and future-ready faculty.
The new management model of the Faculty of Science
The introduction of collegial institute boards – made up of three equal directors – is an important step in our faculty’s strategic agenda. This new model reflects how we want to organise ourselves and work together. In the long term, it supports a faculty where collaboration across disciplines is the norm, where we foster a connected and inclusive community, and where it’s a great place to work and study.