On March 4, members of the Academic Leadership Development Program (ALDP) Alumni Council hosted an event to explore key tensions in academic leadership, including faculty engagement, burnout, and peer support.
Held at the Place of Many Trees at the Liu Institute, the gathering brought together Heads, Associate Deans and Directors from across UBC. Participants reflected on often-unspoken leadership challenges, explored patterns of engagement, identified early signs of burnout, and shared strategies for navigating complex and evolving situations.
Two Heads who participated in the March 4 session shared reflections on their leadership experiences and the role of ALDP in supporting their work.
Reflecting on burnout and peer support
Dr. Anne Salamon, Head of the Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies, emphasized the value of creating space for honest conversation among peers.
“Conversations around burnout were especially valuable because they reinforced that these challenges are widely shared. It was helpful to hear perspectives that confirmed some of my instincts, but also pushed me to think differently. Even without clear solutions, there was real benefit in coming together, reflecting collectively, and supporting one another.”
She also highlighted how peer dialogue can create the space needed for more thoughtful leadership:
“One person described it as a kind of Tetris: when you manage to remove one pressure, even briefly, you create space to step back and think more clearly. Talking things through with others helps you avoid reactive decisions and approach challenges more thoughtfully.”
Discussions also underscored the complexity of issues such as faculty disengagement and difficult conversations:
“What became clear is that these situations are rarely one-size-fits-all. Faculty disengagement, for example, can look very different depending on career stage or individual circumstances. And the dynamics within faculty teams—where people may work together for decades—are quite different from other environments. Even without arriving at solutions, these conversations helped surface the nuance and importance of context.”
For Dr. Salamon, these conversations directly inform her approach to leadership:
“I see leadership as a responsibility to support and model growth: for ourselves and for others. Opportunities for ongoing development, whether in research, teaching, or leadership, are essential. Programs like ALDP are valuable not just for initial training, but for sustaining a community of peers over time.”
“The more time I spend in this role, the more I realize there is to learn. Continuing these conversations helps me support my colleagues more effectively and, in turn, better mentor those earlier in their careers. The more we share these experiences, the stronger and more transparent our community becomes.”
Learning through shared experience
Dr. Catherine Corrigall-Brown, Head of Sociology, and a member of the ALDP Alumni Council reflected on how ALDP fits within a broader ecosystem of leadership support at UBC:
“Many academics step into leadership roles with deep expertise in research and teaching, but less experience in the broader skills leadership demands. ALDP helps bridge that gap by connecting participants with the resources, networks, and tools they need to support their colleagues and the university.”
She noted that while early training is critical, peer connection becomes increasingly important over time:
“As new and often unexpected challenges emerge, having opportunities to reconnect with peers becomes essential. This event created space for leaders to reflect on what’s working, share what they’ve learned, and consider what they might do differently.”
Dr. Corrigall-Brown emphasized the importance of peer support in a university environment that can sometimes feel siloed:
“The university offers several forms of leadership support, from cohort-based programs like ALDP to mentorship and coaching. What stood out in this event was the emphasis on peer connection. Academic units can be quite siloed, but we are all part of the same institution, working toward shared goals.”
She also reflected on the importance of rebuilding connection following the isolation of recent years:
“Feeling connected to others is essential to effective leadership. That was especially clear during COVID, when many leaders were navigating challenges in isolation. Now, there is real value in being able to say, ‘I tried this, and it worked,’ or ‘I hadn’t considered that approach.’”
“We spend years learning how to do research, but leadership is something we learn together, by sharing experiences, testing ideas, and growing collectively.”
Building leadership capacity across UBC
The ALDP Alumni Council, an element of the ALDP program, comprises program graduates, organizes networking and learning opportunities that allow academic leaders to continue developing their skills and stay connected to a broader community of peers.
Through initiatives like the March 4 gathering, ALDP continues to support academic leaders in navigating the complexities of their roles—while fostering a culture of connection, reflection, and shared learning across the university.
About the Academic Leadership Development Program at UBC:
The Academic Leadership Development Program (ALDP) is a 10-month, cohort-based initiative that supports and inspires academic leaders through structured learning, practical application, and community building in service of the university's academic and organizational mission. Co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, and the Vice-President, Human Resources, the program strengthens leadership capacity across relational, operational, and strategic leadership domains.
Through ALDP, academic leaders build confidence to advance strategic priorities, navigate complex systems, and deepen self-awareness to develop a clearer understanding of how their identities, values, and motivations shape their leadership and impacts others.