University management

Why is it at not just leading universities around the nation, also second tier institutions as well; the academic staff must have formal vocational qualifications in their field, but management are not required to hold any qualifications at all?

This also holds true for the government run Technical and Further Education (TAFE) colleges and private institutions. With no exceptions, no manager needs to be qualified to even a minimum level or hold full membership in a professional management association.

This is not limited to middle managers charged with controlling the great unwashed; that is, the frontline academic staff. This holds true for IT managers, HR managers, accounts managers (the accountant must be qualified though), maintenance managers, facility managers, customer service managers, divisional directors, general managers and finally, the CEO. 

The person sitting across the desk asking questions at your job interview is likely to be intimidated, maybe scornful and resentful of such candidates, but they need no licence or qualification to do so.

After all, universities churn out in their droves business and commerce students, accounting majors, postgraduate graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and master degrees, even a PhD in Management is available. A Master of Management or the highly prized MBA (and priced accordingly) is a qualification not seen in too many educational establishments.

So why do educational institutions not require their managers to possess the very qualifications they sell? They are in the sales business, the business of education. Do they not rate these qualifications they sell? Are the skills and knowledge not transferable to their business model? Are such qualifications designated for sole use in the private sector? 

I wouldn't think so, contemporary management practice is still management, accounting standards still apply to education and while leadership concepts change as per the situation, you still need to learn the theory, best practice and review case studies. Or really, you don't need to be qualified to be a manager, this is just a commodity for sale where educational facilities don't require the very qualifications they sell.