LEAD Academic Network Open Guest Lecture on Inclusive Academic Leadership in the Global Context held at Vrije Universiteit Brussel on July 5

On July 5, 2024, the LEAD Academic Network held an Open Guest Lecture entitled Inclusive Academic Leadership in the Global Context at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Two prestigeous professors from Sweden and South Africa shared their insights and research findings in the field of inclusive academic leadership.

Prof. dr. Vinayagum Chinapah from Department of Education, Stockholm University in Sweden presented Inclusive Academic Leadership- Meaning and Competence Development: European and Chinese Perspectives.He introduced the role and importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the Education 2030 Framework for Action (FFA). He then illuminated the new possibilities for inclusive academic leadership (IAL) and landscape mapping of situations & challenges for European universities from a macro-level perspective.Moreover, some major challenges for implementing inclusive academic leadership (ial) in universities were added and he also suggested on what universities can do to strengthen IAL, for instance, required IAL traits, skills and competencies and working with and through teams.In the end, he posed two questions regarding the importance of joint and collaborative research and scholarships in inclusive academic leadership, and the needs for capacity–building, education, training and networking in inclusive academic leadership, which helped the participants to reflect based on their experiences and in their contexts.

Prof. dr. Marieta du Plessis from Department of Industrial Psychology, University of the Western Cape in South Africa presented Inclusive Academic Leadership Development in a Global Context. She stressed the importance of inclusive leadership in global higher education and introduced the key components of Inclusive Academic Leadership (IAL). Furthermore, she illustrated how to develop inclusive academic leaders and what leadership practices to develop. In addition, she listed some challenges and opportunities of developing IAL and pointed out several future directions.

The open lecture has attracted both physical participants and online participants who have actively engaged in the sharing of experiences and exchanges of views. Following the presentations, participants actively shared their experiences and reflections on inclusive academic leadership. This significantly enhanced the interactions among the audience, experts, and online participants worldwide, fostering a productive exchange of views and peer learning.