Leading Across Systems: Developing the Capacities for Education System Leadership

Event Description

Education leaders increasingly confront challenges that cannot be addressed by a single individual, institution, or policy intervention. Problems such as educational inequality, climate change, teacher development, institutional improvement, and system transformation require leaders who can understand complex relationships, exercise contextual judgement, work across organisational and cultural boundaries, mobilise diverse stakeholders, and sustain improvement over time.

These capacities are rarely developed through a single learning experience. They emerge through different forms of leadership development that combine knowledge, reflection, authentic leadership opportunities, collaboration, and continuous learning.

This session examines three complementary approaches to developing education system leadership. Drawing on graduate education, leadership development programmes, and international exchange, the panel will explore how different learning experiences intentionally cultivate the competencies required to lead across systems.
Rather than asking which approach is most effective, the session will examine how these pathways complement one another in preparing leaders to navigate complexity, strengthen institutions, and contribute to lasting educational improvement.

Speakers:

Professor Fernando Reimers,Harvard Graduate School of Education
Samuel Isaiah, PEMIMPIN, Malaysia
Aeti Abdullah, Fulbright Malaysia