Alison Taylor has held leadership roles in the education sector since 2007, working across universities, government, and private sector providers. Since 2020, she has been Chief Operating Officer for the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Quantum Computation and Communication Technology.
She defended her Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA) in March 2025, on the theme “Resilience in Senior Leadership in Higher Education: An investigation of Perspectives, Practices and Experiences” under the supervision of Professor Ulrike Mayrhofer, IAE Nice, Université Côte d’Azur, France.
Thesis Direction
Prof Mayrhofer Ulrike
Thesis Title
Resilience in senior leadership in Higher Education: an investigation of perspectives, practices and experiences – How can senior leaders in Australian higher education institutions develop resilience, and what are the outcomes?
Abstract
This thesis investigated the perspectives, practices and experiences of senior leaders in Australian higher education institutions with reference to personal resilience and how this dynamic construct is developed, managed and utilised in leadership practice.
The research explored resilient behaviours and learnings from experiences of challenge and adversity. Using classical qualitative techniques, an extensive review of existing literature informed the development of a conceptual framework that presents the antecedence of resilience, the characteristics of challenge and adversity, the process of sense-making and adjustment known as reconciliation and the end state of recovery or rebound. This model was further developed to incorporate research findings and insights drawn from interviews with education industry leaders.
The research identified four key elements in fostering the development and maintenance of resilience: exercise; implementing effective personal boundaries; the existence of trust in relationships and teams; and the quality of leadership, including the extent and relevance of leadership experience, frequency of leadership changes and degree of alignment. The study revealed the importance of mindset and that resilience contributed positively to individual and workplace outcomes for individuals and effective management of resilience enhanced performance and wellbeing.
This research presents a new conceptual model of resilience for leaders and resilience self-management model. It extends existing research focused on those experiencing trauma in the workplace, such as first responders, military personnel and nurses; and existing research on survivors of childhood trauma and marginalised populations. The conceptual model and self-management model are applicable to leaders in a broad range of organisational settings, including the education sector, government, services industries and professional services.