Application of competence models in terms of university management

Abstract

The contribution by the title "Application of Competence Models in Terms of University Management" deals with the possibilities of competence models in the hiring process for positions of academic functionaries or top managers of academic institutions. We have focused on the sector of education institutions because of their significant impact on development and society. It focuses particularly on the segment of quality of university institutions and the quality of a selected section of its human potential. The topic of the application of competence models is very real for countries in our region from a historical perspective, because it is not sufficiently studied or applied in the conditions of public and state institutions. In the practice of academic institutions in "post-communist countries" there is a need for quality managers with skills and features securing the progress of institutions, but also a need for their development, the quality of their activity and efficiency, and the satisfaction of their customers. It is absolutely important for circumstances where the subjects have thousands customers/students and dozens or hundreds of employees. The first section summarises theoretical outcomes and describes the current state of the research subject. Then, we define and explain the theoretical basis of the studied topic from the wider perspective of human resources in academic environments and the possibilities provided by the contemporary research state of competence models for application in concrete environments. It displays the need of their application in the higher education environment from the perspective of increasing the quality of academic institutions. In the next section we describe the research process aimed at the creation of a platform for a competence model for the positions of top managers at universities. It is followed by a definition of research questions and hypotheses and a short description of selected methods of quantitative research (questionnaire) and qualitative research (interview). Testing of the defined hypothesis is described in the next part by application of appropriate statistical methods. The survey into the opinions of managers and members of the academic community was carried out in order to implement the managerial competence valuation model assessing the academic, scientific, management and administrative positions at rectors' and deans' offices in higher education institutions. In fact, it documents the current attitudes of executives and university staff to the subject in question. The survey into the opinions and attitudes comprises also a third group of respondents: managers of private companies who also had the opportunity to comment on the subject of the research. In the final part of the contribution there is a description of how the research was processed as one part of a project with an aim to elaborate a set of requirements for the knowledge, skills and personal competencies of a candidate for the position of a faculty executive/manager, in particular a dean. On the basis of the research, a study of references and interviews with professionals, a proposal is defined for the total capability (managerial expertise, personal characteristics and application skills) of a candidate for a dean position. Definition, description and explanation of the concrete model as a result of the research and activities described in the contribution will be the subject of the next publication activity. The conclusion summarises the attained results.