Page 42 - EW January 2025

Expert Comment

Higher education leaders

India needs

KALPESH BANKER

NDIA’S UNIVERSITIES ARE AT A CROSSROADS. A paradigm shift in higher education
With legacy institutions disappointing students and
industry, the need for university leadership overhaul is has begun and is acquiring momentum.
Ibecoming apparent by the day. In other words, it’s time Gradually — perhaps too gradually
for the old guard to make way for effective next-gen leaders
who can stimulate creativity, negotiate collaborations, and — research, creativity, innovation
take bold decisions. Admittedly, redefining leadership in are becoming more important than
education for next-gen leaders is not an easy task. A new
crop of leaders to bring something extra to the table is re- knowledge acquisition and retention
quired. What is that “something extra”? Some suggestions
for higher ed leaders to consider: industry projects to campuses, university leaders need to
1. Entrepreneurial leadership. Consultation, Coordi- discharge the critically important obligation to stimulate
nation, and Collaboration (3Cs) are pillars of the entrepre- invention, innovation. Most importantly, universities need
neurial leadership model on which university leaders must to transform into centres of research to develop intellectual
focus. The top-down, centralised approach is no longer suit- property for commercialisation by industry.
able. Universities need to go global and learn to accom- 6. Creative restructuring. Transforming legacy teach-
modate diversified viewpoints and stakeholders’ interests ing institutions into globally respected centres of research
for which the 3Cs leadership model is most appropriate. and teaching excellence mandates progressive leaders to
The entrepreneurial element in leadership is necessary for develop institution restructuring skills. Clear vision, cor-
innovation, improving efficiency, and making universities porate-style plan implementation, and decisive action are
resilient in the long term. important qualities that next-gen higher ed leaders need to
2. Multifaceted capabilities. As challenges multiply, consciously develop. This requires excellent listening skills
university leaders need to demonstrate skills on multiple and receptivity to feedback to enable the transformation of
fronts. From strategic vision to global expansion and opera- our universities into centres of teaching and research ex-
tional implementation, higher ed leaders require an eye for cellence capable of intelligently addressing and solving the
detail. Uniting faculty for a common cause, inspiring hard myriad problems of Indian society, business and industry.
work and co-operation are crucial competencies that new- India’s higher education ecosystem is the second largest
age university leaders must exhibit. Moreover, cultivating in the world. The country hosts 58,000 higher education in-
transversal capabilities is also necessary to enable leaders stitutions providing advanced learning to 43.3 million stu-
to strike a balance between people and task orientation to dents across specialisations. Given the utmost importance
deliver greater value to stakeholders. of higher education, revamping its top leadership is no
3. Forward-looking mindset. Approaching the future longer a choice, it has become an urgent national priority.
by evaluating the past and executing the present is crucial A small number of institutions such as Indian Institutes
for transformation of universities into centres of excellence. of Management and Delhi University are transforming In-
Academy leaders need to embrace data-based decision- dia’s higher ed ecosystem. Globally connected institutions
making to plug skill gaps, cultural incoherence, and hands- such as the Indian School of Business, JNU and Ashoka
on learning deficiencies of the current education system. University provide globally benchmarked liberal arts, hu-
Adopting disruptive new technologies such as AI, ML, and manities, and languages learning, and are making changes
metaverse will help young leaders deliver vibrant and im- in their leadership to keep pace with the dynamic environ-
mersive learning to students. ment. These institutions are inspiring fellow institutions
4. Transnational outlook. In a rapidly borderless to chalk the path of making learning a dynamic process
world for knowledge, next-gen university leaders must to transform education into a nation-building enterprise.
have a transnational outlook to offer the best global and As a result, a paradigm shift in higher education has be-
local learning to students. A global perspective provides gun and is acquiring momentum. Gradually — perhaps too
students necessary exposure to new knowledge, informa- gradually — research, creativity, innovation are becoming
tion and best practices from around the world. Therefore, it more important than knowledge acquisition and retention
follows that higher ed leaders must take initiatives such as in our higher education system. To accelerate the momen-
recruiting global faculty, conducting immersion programs, tum, new generation of higher education leaders need to be
and organising students and faculty exchange to fully in- given social respect and the autonomy to create a win-win
ternationalise higher education knowledge and learning. situation for all stakeholders.
5. Adaptive collaboration. Indisputably, the most
important task of latter-day university leaders is to build
bridges to connect academia with industry. By bringing live (Kalpesh Banker is Managing Partner at EduShine Search Partners, Delhi)

42 EDUCATIONWORLD JANUARY 2025