Advance HE is currently delivering a Higher Education Leadership Development Programme for Administrators (HELDPA) to administrative staff at over 42 higher education institutions (HEIs) in India as part of the longstanding UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI).
UKIERI was established in 2006 to promote internationalisation and enhance the partnership in education and research between India and the UK by focusing on three key aspects: institutional partnerships (for research and academics), student mobility, and leadership development (for academic leaders).
HELDPA, launched in November 2020, is aimed at capacity building for over 230 HE leaders to enhance the core knowledge and skills of middle and senior level administrative staff, in order to increase the leadership capacity and support systemic change in Indian HEIs. A key theme of the programme is inclusion, particularly for women, in leadership roles across higher education in India. It was originally planned to start in March 2020 but had to be delayed and adapted for online delivery due to the global pandemic.
The programme is now being delivered entirely online across a five-month period, in collaboration with University Grants Commission (UGC), aligned to focus areas outlined in the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which recently launched in India. It will incorporate teams of staff from the participating HEIs undertaking work-based change projects, some of which are initiatives in direct response to the pandemic.
Speaking at the launch event in India earlier this year, Ramesh Pokhriyal, Former Minister of Education, said: “The Higher Education Leadership Development Programme for Administrators will be a step change towards institutional reforms in higher education in line with the Indian government’s commitment to improve the quality of education being imparted in the universities.
“The programme will enable participants with a more global outlook which in turn supports the increasing collaboration between higher education systems both Indian and UK governments would like to see in the future.”
Dr. D.P. Singh, Chairman, University Grants Commission said of the collaboration with Advance HE: “UGC is pleased to associate with Advance HE, our training partner who are known for bettering higher education initiatives across the globe.
"With an astute international partner like Advance HE, we plan to impart top-notch leadership and management skills to vice-chancellors, mid-senior level functionaries and academic administrators across HEIs in India. We are hopeful that this partnership will catalyse a more substantial transformation through which more and more HEIs will find their names on the top in global university ranking in the future.”
Andy Shenstone, Director of Business Development and Delivery at Advance HE said: “We are delighted to support the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) in delivering this nationally important programme to strengthen leadership across the Indian Higher Education (HE) sector.
“Helping the HE sector in India shape its own future and develop global links is paramount. We look forward to working closely with our partners at the Ministry of Education, the British Council and University Grants Commission to ensure effective delivery of this HE Leadership Development Programme for Administrators.”
We are now seeking volunteer mentors from UK HE institutions who would be willing to mentor Indian HE leaders (e.g. Registrars, Heads of Estates, Strategic Planning, Admissions, Examinations, Human Resources and Learning & Development) on the HELDPA.
This would involve being willing to share your thoughts and experiences regarding managing change in HE and to hold a minimum of two one-hour Zoom meetings with your Indian mentee before the end of February 2021. For the mentors, it will be an opportunity to help develop participants on a development programme, support change in and forge links with an Indian university. Please email us at UKIERI2@advance-he.ac.uk if you would like to explore this opportunity further.