Dr. Rim Feriani was awarded a certificate for successfully completing the “Aspire Leadership Programme,” a bespoke EiM strategic leadership course designed for our senior leaders. This year-long program immerses participants in the exploration of strategic leadership, combining theoretical foundations with practical examples and actions to support our leaders as they advance toward headship and beyond.
When I heard about the EIM Aspire course for Senior Leadership, I was excited about the opportunity. Having occupied various middle and senior roles throughout my 20-year education career, I felt that the more I learned about the intricacies of leadership, the more my curiosity grew. This 9-month course, organised by David Fitzgerald, was a great chance to connect with aspiring deputy heads and assistant heads from the EIM group.
One of the highlights of this course was the sharing of best practices amongst the leaders and hearing headteachers share their own leadership stories - stories that displayed vulnerability as well as resilient skills. Amongst the modules we studied were reflective leadership, values-based leadership, leading highly effective teams, pedagogical leadership, financial literacy, strategic leadership, and managing change.
We also had a valuable residential experience in Shanghai, where I had the opportunity to visit EIM's headquarters and Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong. This allowed me to learn firsthand about the exceptional pedagogical leadership applied at the school. Additionally, I received regular mentoring advice from Mrs. Clare Hooper, Head of Dulwich International High School Hengqin. This has been instrumental in helping me reflect on my strengths and work towards achieving my professional goals.
Attending this course has kept me abreast of cutting-edge research in senior leadership and enabled me to explore how best practices are implemented in schools. Having regular meetings with my mentor, hearing others' experiences, and listening to seasoned heads' stories made me realize that being a leader is not just about how much you know, but how much you are willing to continue to learn. My favorite quote is Jack Welch's definition of a leader: "Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." Leading becomes a dynamic process of growth that creates a positive ripple effect.
The EIM Aspire programme has been truly transformative, equipping me with the knowledge, tools, and mindset to become a more effective and impactful pedagogical leader in the education sector.
Dr. Rim Feriani
