ABSTRACT
This chapter gives an understanding of how these leaders approach the myriad complexities of working in higher education, through a discussion with two leaders of design schools at institutions in the USA and Australia. At Queensland University of Technology, we foresaw the crisis impacting our school as early as February 2020 with the realisation that our Chinese students would be unable to return to study in Australia due to an Australian travel ban imposed on China. We share a commitment to a collaborative leadership style and the need for having a vibrant and inclusive culture. In terms of staff management and leadership, the author prefers applying a collaborative leadership model and he aspire to establish a flat management structure whenever appropriate. We follow a transdisciplinary approach to teaching and research in which all areas intersect and collaborate. In turn, we facilitate and thrive on building connections across diverse discipline areas such as health, business, education, biomedical science and engineering.
