The La MANCHE project is implemented by a consortium of 6 EU partners (from 5 countries) and 23 HEIs from 5 Partner Countries (PCs). The project’s overall objective is to promote the modernization of PCs’ higher education (HE) by building governance and management capacities at PC HEIs and initiating sustainable dialogue on HE reforms among relevant interest groups. Specific objectives are:- to map out existing leadership skills and governance models at PC HEIs in view of identifying training needs- to analyze locally developed good practices of dealing with modernization-related change at the institutional level- to transfer good governance and change management practices from EU HEIs to PC HEIs- to build the transformational leadership capacity of senior managers at PC HEIs- to promote transnational networking and joint problem solving among experts, managers of PC HEIs and other key stakeholders in HE, as well as to stimulate students grassroots leadership initiatives- to develop and uphold a context-sensitive strategy for managing modernization-related change in HE in the PCs.The main activities and outputs:- Self-assessment and external analysis of leadership and management skills and models at PC HEIs- Study of HE modernization in PCs and its impact on HEIs- Capacity building activities including development of syllabuses and guidance materials in leadership and change management- Identification of successful European models for leadership and change management- Training of trainers in leadership and in change management, followed by local multiplication trainings, both aimed at managers and administrators from PC HEIs- Promoting transnational collaboration of EU and PC HEI leaders and other key stakeholders in HE - through a virtual think tank and other activities- National conferences on modernization-related change in PCs- Development of a Strategy for Managing Change in HE in PCs-Capacity building for young leaders and women in leadership