For an institution to become more entrepreneurial and innovative There are barriers to overcome. These might be related to the intellectual or ideological beliefs of academic staff, resulting from misperceptions and myths about the meanings, values and purposes of entrepreneurship. The leadership challenge lies in engaging these viewpoints and providing alternative interpretations that can have resonance and meaning for teaching and research, especially across the different contexts of an HEI. Achieving this requires visionary and transformative leadership styles, especially from the top of the organisation.

The role of leadership is also to provide a strategic roadmap that enshrines a shared set of values and common purpose and demonstrates capacity to allow for diversity of opinions. The aim is to:

• Drive the culture and values throughout the organisation
• Build an organisation and an environment which are conducive to individual and autonomous action, and
• Allow for diversity and diversions, whilst at the same time joining all these into a common umbrella structure

Having dedicated persons in leadership positions for the implementation of the entrepreneurial and innovation vision and strategy who have the required skills and entrepreneurial competencies support the development of such a shared vision of the future. On their own, however, a strategy and a roadmap, do not create a culture. They can even be counter-productive if only seen as institutional rhetoric and not backed up by examples, actions, and role models, including the leadership of the organisation.