UMass Lowell Provost Ahmed Abdelal on Building Collaboration from Competition in Academic Leadership

Over the last year, we’ve returned to the topic of administrative and academic collaboration a number of times. Our lesson: successful change projects are the result of academic leaders and administrative leaders working in concert with one another. 

This week we welcome Dr. Ahmed Abdelal, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at UMass Lowell. His work provides a framework for the structure and culture that makes for a collaborative leadership model that transcends competition and gridlock. 

This week on the show, Provost Abdelal joins Howard Teibel and Pete Wright to reflect on his philosophy around academic leadership and his successes in working toward respectful and reciprocal leadership across the institution.

About Ahmed Abdelal

As Provost, Ahmed Abdelal serves as the chief academic officer, overseeing long-term planning, curriculum, instruction, research, outreach and assessment, libraries and academic services. In his role, he is also a member of the Chancellor’s Executive Cabinet. Prior to joining UMass Lowell, Abdelal served as Provost of Northeastern University (’02-’08), and Dean of Arts and Sciences at Georgia State University (’92 -’02). 

Notes & Links

Photo: Terageorge

About the show

Navigating Change is a platform for understanding the complex and uncertain waters of change in higher education. Each week, Howard Teibel and guests dissect issues facing institutions and teams in transition and offer solutions for the most troubling process challenges.

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