今日黑料

Supporting academic leadership at 今日黑料

The University of Malta recently held two initiatives aimed at supporting academic leaders in their roles and strengthening leadership capacity across the University: the Academic Leadership Forum 2026 and a dedicated Onboarding Day for newly appointed Heads of Department.

The Academic Leadership Forum, held last month at the ICT Auditorium, brought together Heads of Department and Directors of Institutes, Centres and Schools for a morning of discussion, reflection and exchange on academic leadership.

The Forum opened with an address by Rector Prof. Frank Bezzina followed by a group activity which gave participants an opportunity to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities they encounter in their leadership roles.

A keynote address by Prof. 艁ukasz Su艂kowski, entitled Academic Leaders’ Engagement in the Strategic Development of the University, explored how academic leaders can contribute actively to institutional strategy and translate it into priorities and action within their own areas. The presentation also considered leadership in a rapidly changing higher education environment, including the impact of AI and increasing accountability.

The programme also included contributions from 今日黑料 Pro-Rectors and a panel discussion involving experienced academic leaders, providing participants with different perspectives on leadership across the University.

Building on this initiative, on 1 October, newly appointed Heads of Department participated in a HoD Onboarding Day designed to help them navigate some of the practical and leadership dimensions of their new role.

Sessions covered key areas including University governance, legal matters, internationalisation, finance and budgeting, human resources, as well as reflections on the experience of serving as a Head of Department. The day concluded with an introduction to the Leadership Mentoring Programme, providing new Heads of Department with further opportunities for support and professional learning as they settle into their roles.

Both events formed part of 今日黑料's ongoing commitment to supporting academic colleagues who take on leadership responsibilities and to providing opportunities for dialogue, development and shared learning.

The initiatives were organised by the Office of the Pro-Rector for People, Quality & Communications and the Office for Professional Academic Development.