Managerial competencies of governing council members in Ghanaian universities: A comparative analysis of public and private sector perspectives

Abstract

Despite the expanded statutory powers and strategic responsibilities of governing councils in both public and private universities, empirical attention has been limited to the managerial competencies that enable councils to function effectively across diverse institutional contexts. This study examines the managerial competencies of governing council members in selected public and private universities in Ghana. Anchored in institutional and corporate governance theories, the study employed a qualitative comparative case-study design to examine the managerial competencies of governing council members at public and private universities in Ghana. The study population comprised governing council members of public and private universities in Ghana, including chairpersons, external members, internal members (senior academics), and representatives of key stakeholder groups. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 29 participants, including governing council members and key institutional actors in selected public and private universities, and analysed thematically to identify patterns and variations in managerial competencies. Six interrelated themes emerged: strategic leadership and visioning; financial and resource management; risk management and institutional sustainability; decision-making and governance flexibility; professional expertise and experience; and ethical leadership and accountability. While council members in both sectors demonstrated strong commitment to governance roles, private university councils showed greater agility in decision-making, financial oversight, and performance monitoring. In contrast, public university councils were more constrained by bureaucratic processes, political influence, and regulatory controls but exhibited a stronger orientation toward public accountability and policy compliance. The study positions managerial competencies as a central analytical framework for examining the effectiveness of university governance in Ghana. It offers policy-relevant insights to strengthen governing councils through targeted capacity-building, merit-based appointments, and context-sensitive governance reforms across public and private higher education institutions.