This paper addresses issues associated with leadership in Higher Education (HE), by drawing on research and debate in relation to the role of education in reproducing social inequalities, and on expertise developed through academic leadership roles in British art schools. It seeks to stimulate discussion about the commodification of HE, which is often perceived as a threat to its accessibility, and therefore to its positive impact in enhancing social mobility, and will argue that it is only a threat if we cling to a culturally conservative belief in value-free learning, which serves only to reproduce the values of the white middle-class intelligentsia. By addressing the question of how to respond to the changing profile of all HE students, in terms of the diverse social and cultural capital which they bring with them, (which shapes what and how they want to learn), this paper will challenge some of the prevailing views about student engagement, from the perspective of an academic whose leadership role includes responsibility for developing learning and teaching strategies to ensure student progression, achievement, and graduate outcomes, and for enhancing the quality of the student experience.