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Leadership in Education, Advocacy, and Policy-Development (LEAD) Academics

Program Snapshot:

LEAD-Academics is a 6-month flagship leadership development program aimed at building strong academic institutions for a Viksit Bharat, grounded in the belief that “one person can change the entire institution” if they are motivated, committed, and equipped with the right leadership skills. This program is offered under the ambit of the Leadership in Education, Advocacy, and Policy-Development (LEAD) program of BITS Pilani.

A 6-Month Transformational Journey:

  • A rigorous, sector-agnostic curriculum designed for senior leaders in academia through a blend of theoretical frameworks and hands-on applications
  • Participants will:
    • Master strategic leadership tailored to India’s higher education landscape
    • Develop actionable solutions for institutional challenges (e.g., NAAC compliance, accreditation, research park development)
    • Refine strategies through continuous feedback loops with faculty and peers

Graduates Gain:

  • Lifetime access to an elite leadership community
  • Invitations to annual thought leadership summits
  • Mentorship opportunities with senior academicians

Capstone Leadership Project:

  • Participants will:
    • Diagnose a critical challenge at their home institution (e.g., low NIRF rankings, student diversity gaps, etc.)
    • Design and pilot solutions using course tools (e.g., performance management system)
    • Present outcomes to a panel of sector experts

Program Objectives:

  • To provide strategic leadership to advance academic excellence in higher education..
  • To empower education leaders to address leadership challenges effectively
  • To foster innovation and creativity in teaching, learning, and research
  • To utilize academic leaders’ insights to address key issues in Indian higher education
  • To leverage technology to boost engagement, performance, and institutional efficiency

Program Outline:

Through hybrid delivery, LEAD-Academics focuses on honing leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills through a sandwich format – four days on campus at BITS Pilani, followed by five and a half months of online sessions (every Saturday), and concluding with a two-day campus immersion covering 6 themes, 16 modules, 48 lectures and 72 hours.

Program Themes:

  • Theme 1. Strategic Leadership and Administration: Has three modules (i) Strategic leadership, (ii) Vision for the institution, and (iii) Transforming administration.
  • Theme 2. Academic and Research Excellence: Has three modules (i) Teaching and learning, (ii) Research and development, and (iii) Promoting innovation.
  • Theme 3. Inclusive People Management: Has three modules (i) Practices for students' success, gender/ diversity and international students, (ii) Faculty development and (iii) Staff development.
  • Theme 4. Resource Optimization and Technological Integration: Has three modules (i) Infrastructure, (ii) Technology adoption and (iii) Finance management
  • Theme 5. Communication, Crisis Resilience and Conflict Resolution: Has two modules (i) Communication and (ii) Crisis and conflict management.
  • Theme 6. Regulatory Framework, Accreditation and Global Competitiveness: Has two modules (i) Regulatory framework and (ii) Assessment and global ranking.

Program Instructors:

  • Senior administrators from eminent institutions, including BITS Pilani, IITs, NITs, IIMs, UGC, AICTE, Ministry of Education, Department of Science and Technology, National Board of Accreditation, Association of Indian Universities, and INFLIBNET, will be giving tailored lectures on chosen topics for this program.

Program Delivery Framework:

On-Campus Immersion (5 Days):

  • Intensive 3+2 days residential engagement at BITS Pilani.
  • First three days: 23rd to 25th March 2026 at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. Accommodation will be provided by BITS.
  • Hands-on simulations: Financial decision-making using real university budgets, accreditation compliance drills, and crisis management scenarios.

Interactive Online Learning (22 Weeks):

  • Weekend live lectures, case studies, and discussions on BITS’ digital platform
  • Asynchronous access to:
    • BITS-developed and other case studies.
    • Policy implementation toolkits.
    • Faculty-mentored discussion forums.
  • Weekend live lectures on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 01:00 PM, case studies, and discussions on BITS’ digital platform.

Direct-to-Device (D2D) Learning Experience:

  • Access all coursework on preferred devices (laptop, tablet, mobile).
  • Seamless integration of learning with professional schedules.
  • Real-time feedback and mentorship from BITS faculty and other experts.
  • Virtual consultations to support capstone project development.
  • Maintains BITS Pilani’s high academic rigour in a flexible format.

Expected Outcomes:

  • Participants will master strategic leadership tailored to India’s higher education landscape and develop actionable solutions for institutional challenges.
  • LEAD-Academics will have impacts on individual, institutional and system levels.
    • Individual Level Impact: Enhanced governance abilities, leadership skills among higher education leaders, and improved interpersonal and relationship management capabilities that contribute to increased staff morale.
    • Institutional Level Impact: Advancement in academic standards, dynamic and thriving institution development, and elevated academic achievements. Strengthening governance and operational performance in higher education institutions.
    • System Level Impact: Development of a larger pool of visionary and competent leaders and administrators. Strengthened, more targeted, and productive collaboration and knowledge-sharing among leaders, scholars, and policymakers across various institutions and regions

Eligibility for Participation:

  • Faculty members who are currently serving in senior academic roles, such as Associate Professor, Professor, Senior Professor, Head of the Department, Associate Dean, Dean, Principal, Director, etc.
  • Motivated to pursue higher leadership opportunities in the evolving Indian education landscape
  • A group of 30 participants, endorsed by the respective institute heads and selected by BITS Pilani

Certification and Alumni Status:

  • Participants who successfully complete the program will be awarded a ‘Certificate’ and accorded BITS Pilani’s alumni status.

Course Fee:

  • Rs. 90,000 + GST

Important Dates:

  • Application portal opens : 5th February 2026
  • Application portal closes : 10th March 2026
  • Fee payment & registration deadline:: 15th March 2026
  • Program starts on : 23th March 2026
  • Program ends on : 01st Sepetember 2026

BITS Differentiators:

  • 60+ years of academic leadership
  • NAAC A++ accredited
  • Strong academia-industry connection (Practice School & WILP)
  • Technology Business Incubators (TBI)
  • Top 20 in Engineering and Top 3 in Pharmacy (NIRF 2024)
  • Ranked 23rd overall in India (NIRF 2024)
  • Recognized for global collaborations
  • Globally Recognized Institution of Excellence

Testimonials:

Prof Sanjay Fuloria
Prof. Sanjay Fuloria
Professor (Operations Management and Information Technology Area) ICFAI Business School (IBS)

A must-do program for anyone aspiring to be an academic leader. The catch phrase “Leadership is not about positions. It is about impact.”

View Video Testimonial
Prof Veeky Baths
Prof. Veeky Baths
Professor and Head of the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, BITS Pilani, K. K. Birla Goa Campus

Action-focused and rooted in Indian higher education realities. I now use fresh insights on research leadership, technology integration, and communication every day. Grateful to BITS Pilani for this powerful learning experience.

Prof. Rahul Deshpande
Dean - Quality Assurance NICMAR University

The LEAD Programme was a very enriching experience and offered useful strategic as well as practical insights into leadership in higher education. The discussion in the programme went beyond my regular day-to-day scope of work and helped widen my horizon. The peer interactions, guided by experienced academic leaders and practitioners, led to meaningful discussions on governance, innovation, and managing change within universities. Overall, the programme has strengthened my ability to approach the assigned leadership role with clarity and purpose

Prof. D. Satish
Dean - PG Programs IBS Hyderabad, ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education

The BITS Pilani LEAD Academics Programme was a transformative experience, offering deep engagement with outstanding academic leaders and a rigorous capstone learning experience. It sharpened my leadership capabilities and enabled meaningful reflection on higher education’s evolving challenges

Click Here to View Video Testimonials
Prof. Ganesh Singh
Programme Director - New Age Courses AIMA-CME

Being part of the inaugural LEAD-Academics Programme at BITS Pilani was a rewarding and intellectually enriching experience. The programme offered valuable perspectives

Click Here to View Video Testimonials
Prof. Geetha KS
Vice Principal RV College of Engineering

Action-focused and rooted in Indian higher education realities. I now use fresh insights on research leadership, technology integration, and communication every day. Grateful to BITS Pilani for this powerful learning experience.

Click Here to View Video Testimonials
Prof. Sridhar Raju
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus

I was privileged to be a participant among the first cohort of the Senior Academic Leadership Program. The program provided a valuable opportunity to learn from the rich experiences and insights of accomplished academic leaders. The debates and discussions throughout the program encouraged us to think differently and more holistically. The Capstone Project, in particular, helped me develop the ability to think from an institutional perspective rather than an individual one. The program’s structured training refined my leadership abilities and distinguished me as a leader.

Prof. Meghana Tare
Associate Professor and Faculty in-Charge (NSS and Nirmaan) Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani Pilani Campus

The LEAD academics program allowed me (and probably many like me) to understand the underpinnings of behind the scenes for running an academic institution. The mentors were chosen for each session really meticulously and they believed in sharing experiences; and, importantly; not just the good ones, but where they got to learn new things as well. If you are one of them, who wants to make a little change in the system at the workplace, for a greater cause, for a greater good and to take HEI in India to a newer height; this program will enable you to understand the system, analyze your own potential and help you make new strides.

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Message from the Coordinator:

Lead Academics Registration:

Contact

Prof. P. Sankar Ganesh

Prof. P. Sankar Ganesh
Coordinator, LEAD-Academics

Prof. P. Sankar Ganesh is a Research Track Professor of Environmental Biotechnology and the Coordinator of the Graduate School in Global Sanitation at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. He has 27 years of sandwich experience in academia and industry across SAARC, the Middle East, and Europe. After joining BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, in 2009, Prof. Ganesh started teaching ecology, environmental science, environmental biotechnology, waste management, sanitation technology, and gene toxicology. His research focuses on waste and wastewater treatment, biomethanation, and biohydrogen production. Prof. Ganesh has been involved in several academic, translational, and societal projects funded by the Swiss Red Cross, Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Government of Andhra Pradesh and some industries. Prof. Ganesh has held several administrative positions, including Associate Dean of International Programmes and Collaboration Division and Practice School Division and founder Faculty In-charge of Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship at BITS Pilani. Prof. Ganesh is a "Faculty-preneur", being the Co-Director of 'Almac ProTech', a startup company that has spun off from his research on high-rate anaerobic digestion of organic waste. Prof. Ganesh is the Co-ordinator of LEAD-Academics Programme.

lead.acad@bits-pilani.ac.in
+91 04066303547

LEAD-Academics is a 6-month flagship leadership development program aimed at building strong academic institutions for a Viksit Bharat, grounded in the belief that “one person can change the entire institution” if they are motivated, committed, and equipped with the right leadership skills. This program is offered under the ambit of the Leadership in Education, Advocacy, and Policy-Development (LEAD) program of BITS Pilani.

Lead Academics

LEAD-Academics is a 6-month flagship leadership development program aimed at building strong academic institutions for a Viksit Bharat

Get In Touch

Prof. P. Sankar Ganesh
Coordinator
LEAD-Academics

lead.acad@bits-pilani.ac.in

+91 04066303547

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