Education leadership has never been tougher than today. When educational institutions around the world were closed due to the spread of COVID-19, our experienced academicians had to take on the additional job responsibility of crisis managers. Even the hardcore advocates of traditional teaching methodologies became strong proponents of digital learning. It must have been hard, but they survived, supported, and guided their society to stay afloat. Academic administrators now face a daunting task – helping communities recover from the pandemic and rebuild a more equitable, prosperous future for all students.
Experts say that crisis and change management are now essential skills required of senior academicians when discussing the post-pandemic skills needed for education leaders. A research report published by Scott McLeod and Shelley Dulsky states, “during a crisis, education leaders must engage in effective communication, facilitate sensemaking in conditions of uncertainty, be flexible and adaptive, and pay attention to the emotional wellbeing and health of employees.” These are the most pressing times for effective leadership in educational institutions that will help us to foster both a positive and motivating culture for staff and a high-quality experience for learners.
In this issue, we have identified ‘10 Most Inspiring Leaders in Education – 2022’ who have been effectively applying their educational expertise and management skills to focus their efforts, and those of their teaching staff, on improving the quality of student learning outcomes. They quickly realized the gaps and acted with utmost brilliance to bring innovations in education and keep up-to-date with the latest developments while also seeking feedback from school staff and students. On the cover, we feature Prof. (Dr) P.P. Mathur, who took over the reins as Vice-Chancellor at Birla Global University during the peak of COVID-19 restrictions and successfully stood the test of time. Under the leadership of Dr. Mathur, who has 46 and 40 years of research and teaching experience, the faculty members and students of BGU managed teaching and learning meticulously.
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