The webinar "Understanding and Developing a Digital Mindset in Academic Leadership" is organized by WERA IRN on Digital Academic Leadership, the EU-China Higher Education Research Center at VUB, and the LEAD Academic Network.
Prof. David TURNER and Dr. Xiaomin Li from Beijing Normal University introduced the symbolic and sub-symbolic approach in decision making in relation to innovations. They stressed the importance of digital mindsets in favour of people being in control of technologies. Prof. Yasar Kondakci & dr. Sevgi Kaya-Kasikci from Middle East Technical University discussed how academics react to technologies, especially AI; and the importance of the leadership role in playing an orchestrating role in technology integration. Prof. Marieta du Plessis from University of Western Cape elaborated the critical role of mind shift in digital leadership, both for individuals and for institutions.
The webinar highlighted the critical role of embracing digital innovations to lead effectively in evolving educational environments. Participants’ shared ideas and personal experiences enriched the discussions, offering valuable real-world insights into the challenges and opportunities of digital transformations in academia, especially the transformations brought about by the use of AI.
