Advance HE will deliver a second block of the Higher Education Leadership Development Programme for Administrators (HELDPA) as part of a continued collaboration with the UK-India Education and Research Initiative and University Grants Commission in India. A first cohort of around 100 administrative staff from 42 HE institutions in India participated in the programme in 2020 and a second iteration has now been confirmed beginning in November 2021.
Block 2 of the programme is open to all participants of the first block and a select group of participants will be developed as Future Trainers to ensure programme sustainability in the long-term.
HELDPA forms part of Phase Three of the long-running UKIERI programme, which aims 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).
The first block of training was hugely successful with the participants being roundly positive about its impact. One participant remarked that the ‘programme was a lifesaver in more ways than one’ while another said the programme was a ‘new, valuable and unforgettable experience’.
A key part of the programme, and in keeping with the overall aim of UKIERI to promote internationalisation between the Indian and UK HE sectors, was a mentoring scheme connecting participants of the programme with mentors from UK institutions. The engagement from UK academics was fantastic and resulted in 15 participants being matched with volunteer mentors from across the UK sector, who shared their experiences of change management with their mentee.
Rowan Kennedy, Deputy Director of British Council India said: "The project supports the vision laid out in the UK-India Roadmap 2030 for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK, which emphasises the shared commitment of the two countries for an enhanced partnership in education. It also supports the implementation of India’s National Education Policy 2020, which calls for a focus on internationalisation of higher education institutions in India, as well as for enhancing the quality of education functionaries through providing continuous professional development.’’
Becky Smith, Assistant Director International at Advance HE said: “This collaboration engages participants not only in professional leadership development but also in supporting the future development of their peers and forging wider links with the UK and wider global HE sector. A significant programme outcome has also been the real change affected by participants in their own institutions via work-based change projects.”
Confident, capable leaders adapt, grow and diversify their talents, their teams and their institutions to respond to future challenges. We will create pathways to leadership that build a more diverse pool of leaders and enhance the skills and cultural competence of existing and future leaders.
Find out more about Advance HE's leadership enhancement services.