ABSTRACT
There is enormous value in studying the presidents who run the world’s major universities. These leaders make substantial and growing contributions to academic and social affairs. Yet very little is known about who they are, what they do, and how they perceive their roles and institutions. We frame our research into ‘global university presidents.’ We define this role, examine the research mandate, articulate the unique value of interviewing presidents, and detail the broad structure of the interviews and reports. As the interviews convey, delving into this research sheds important light on higher education.
