A Comparative Study on the Role Perception and Performance Standings of Departments Head: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Mashhad University of Medical Science

One of the most crucial/significant roles of heads of departments in universities is managing the teaching-learning process. Literature review shows that for better administration of teaching-learning process/ Higher education institutes need to be led rather than be managed. The current study was designed to recognize the role that a head department plays in their functional sphere and liability expectations, and was conducted in universities between 2008 and 2009. Based on Dim mock and Walker Model on educational leadership, a questionnaire was made and distributed among all 115 heads of departments in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (FUM) and Mashhad University of Medical Science (MUMS). Overall, 76 questionnaires were fully collected. Findings showed that the respondents perceived their role with a tendency toward managerial functions and have an emphasis on the managerial functions rather than leadership qualities. These findings reconfirmed the previous evidences which claim that people perform the role as they perceive them.