Open and Distance Learning Vision of Higher Education Institutions in Turkey: Implications for Leadership

Abstract

The current study investigated the open and distance learning vision of higher education institutions in Turkey and revealed several implications for leadership. Considering the potential overlap between vision and mission statements, both of the statements used by 82 units within higher education institutions were qualitatively investigated through content analysis. The findings first revealed that the vision statements of the units cover all system levels from technology to the broader socioeconomic context. Improving quality is the most underlined statement, followed by becoming a leading institution and enabling equity and access. On the other hand, it was observed that there is an overlap between their vision and mission statements, and many of the academic units use similar statements. Based on these findings, several implications were reported for effective leadership in open and distance learning. Although this study encompassed only the context of a specific country, it provided implications for leadership in various contexts.