JAMMU: Prof Yash Pal Sharma, Former Head, Department of Botany, University of Jammu participated in the prestigious Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP) Ministry of Education, GOI, at Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore from August 15-20, 2022.

With an aim to train top level potential leaders of Indian Academic Institutions and catalyze excellence through able leadership eventually bringing transformation and fronting the challenges before the academia in the country, the LEAP was conceived by the Ministry of Education, GOI under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Selected on the basis of his research and academic credentials by the Ministry of Education, Govt of India, Prof Sharma completed the fully government sponsored one-week foreign component at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (one of the top global Universities) from August 15-20, 2022.

Prof Sharma informed that a LEAP is a highly customized programme wherein we could hear and interacted with the most distinguished and leading faculty as well as visited some of NTU's globally renowned research laboratories.

Wide range of topics ranging from the Bibliometrics Analysis, Students as the biggest stakeholder, Challenges in interdisciplinary research, Triple helix model involving role of Government, academia and Industry, Leadership and Succession Planning in Academia, process of selection and promotions, comparative analysis of research integrity in Indian and NTU systems, etc., were discussed at length.

Exposure to the NTU's Satellite Research Centre, Autonomous Vehicles, and Administrative set up of NTU were the major highlights of the practical learning, Overall, it was an informative learning experience that would certainly help us transform our leadership and gain skills to create sustainability in our organizations informed visibly excited Prof Sharma.

Attended by 19 selected participants from various institutions across India, the LEAP was coordinated by Dr Anindita Bhadra from IISER, Kolkata and Ashley Seah under the supervision of Prof Subodh Mahisalkar, Associate Vice President, President's Office, NTU Singapore and Puneet Narula Head- Global University Partnerships & Country Director, Nanyang Executive Education.

It is pertinent to mention here that with a sprawling green and smart campus and world-class resources for teaching and research, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) is a research-intensive public university ranked 19th globally in the QS World University Rankings and 3rd in Asia.