A high-profile panel discussion within the 39th International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI 2026) convened in Doha, debated the subject of innovation and educational leadership.
The panel was on new opportunities for Qatar's education system and drew the participation of a contingent of experts and academics from international educational and research institutions.
Having weighed in on the panel, Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto, Ann E Lopez, emphasised that education systems are going through rapid global and demographic changes, prompting thinking outside the box when it comes to education, learning techniques, and school leadership.
She suggested that the education system has literally moved beyond innovation to think outside the box and incorporate novel tools in a variety of approaches in leadership, curricula, and teaching techniques, with a sharp focus on transitioning from teacher-centred education to student-centred education.
The true challenge lies in enforcing these ideas on the ground, as long as supporting school leadership is a core pillar, with school principals positioning themselves as effective partners who possess know-how and not solely as instruction enforcers, Lopez underlined.
Lopez further clarified that effective pedagogical leadership is demonstrated in enhancing positive behaviour, forging a culture of collaboration, and helping teachers contribute to developing the school community.
Professor of Applied Linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University, Dr Khawla Badwan, weighed in on education development as a collective responsibility that requires a partnership between academics, policymakers, teachers, and pedagogical leaders.
The participatory research represents an effective model to connect academic research with educational practices through engaging schools and local communities in producing knowledge, she suggested, underlining the importance of understanding all kinds of students' voices to ensure educational practices that observe diverse experiences and backgrounds.
One of the panelists specialising in comparative education noted the significance of comparative research as a tool that helps profoundly understand educational systems and assess weaknesses alongside challenges through comparing international experiences.
She stressed that the objective isn't to clone foreign practices, but to understand national specificities and develop educational overhauls in the quest to achieve effective implementation on the ground.
Notably, ICSEI 2026 deliberations are underway until Jan 22, with the attendance of over 500 participants representing an elite group of experts and those interested in advancing education and optimising school performance and the educational system.
