Keith Elford, a leadership expert with 20 years experience supporting leaders to make sustainable and transformative changes in their organisation, has been appointed* programme leader for leadership learning at Sarum College, starting 1 October.
The current programme leader, Tim Harle, will retire at the end of September after a 10-year career at Sarum College. He has led the Christian Approaches to Leadership postgraduate study programme since 2014.
‘Sarum plays a vital role in helping the church to create a positive future and to engage more fully and positively with the society in which it is set,’ says Keith Elford. ‘I have admired Tim Harle’s work for some years, collaborating with him on various projects and it is a privilege to succeed him. I look forward to developing new and exciting ways of enabling the Centre for Leadership Learning to help meet the needs of the church in a time of change.’
‘Sarum College has established a growing reputation for our distinctive approach to leadership over the past ten years,’ says Sarum College Principal, the Revd Canon Professor James Woodward. ‘I am grateful to Tim and delighted to welcome Keith Elford to the academic faculty at Sarum College. Keith brings a wealth of experience as a leadership practitioner and we look forward to working with him.
‘Through an interdisciplinary approach ranging from theology to critical management studies, Sarum has developed knowledge and understanding of the complex challenges of thinking about, and enabling reflective, wise and informed ways of being a leader.
‘This year we made the decision to withdraw from the Winchester-validated postgraduate programme in order to focus resource on other ways to develop this area of learning. This will include short courses and conferences, organisation and professional development, consultancy and mentoring to individuals and groups.’
‘It has been a privilege to share in a community of learning with a diverse group of students, and lecturers who may come from a theological college or a business school,’ says Tim Harle. ‘The shared experiences and friendships from that time have contributed to the legacy of leadership learning at Sarum through partnerships with such organisations as the Economic and Social Research Council, Modem, and the Susanna Wesley Foundation. At the same time, we have developed an increasing range of short courses and shared learning with Ministry students.’
*subject to safeguarding checks
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