The second step: The regional meetings

The second step involves a meeting of participants of the International Deans’ Course from the same country or region and an expert from Germany a few months after the first meeting in Germany. This meeting is meant to provide an opportunity to discuss experiences of higher education management in general and of implementing the personal action plan in particular - together with the other expert participants from the DIES International Deans’ Course. This allows for joint reflection on forces hindering change and provides for an opportunity to exchange views on alternatives. This meeting is characterized by an intensive debate with participants who are drawn only from the deans’ course and hence know each other and have already developed trust and understanding. This second meeting creates a special atmosphere which is important for deliberating on strategies of change and getting to the heart of issues and matters. The regional meeting is typically used as well to organize a public forum where important issues in higher education are dealt with. Topics selected for this open forum were quality management, change of governance, strategic management et al.