XED and Harvard Graduate School of Education Launch Six-Month Leadership Program for Education Leaders

The new blended program combines live virtual sessions with in-person learning in Dubai to strengthen strategic, instructional, and systems-thinking capabilities of education leaders across the region.

MUMBAI, India, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- To advance its longstanding commitment to providing professional support and leadership development to education leaders, XED is pleased to announce a new collaboration with Professional Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), to offer the Education Leadership Program (ELP): a six-month learning journey designed to strengthen the strategic, instructional, and systems-thinking capabilities of education leaders across the region.

This collaboration expands high-impact learning options for educators and establishes a dynamic framework for HGSE and XED to help school and district leaders address the pressing realities facing schools today: rising expectations, increasing complexity, and the urgent need for environments that support learning, wellbeing, and community trust. Education leaders across the world are navigating shifting policies, diverse student needs, and new demands on teaching and learning—challenges that require purposeful, reflective, and data-driven leadership.

Delivered through ten live, interactive virtual sessions and a three-day in-person classroom module in Dubai, the Education Leadership Program equips participants with proven frameworks and practical tools to drive measurable improvement across instruction, culture, and system-level performance. Learners engage with Harvard Graduate School of Education faculty through real cases, evidence-based approaches, and structured peer coaching, all culminating in a customized final action plan that supports immediate, practical application in their institutions.

A Program Built for the Real Work of School Leadership

The Education Leadership Program is purposefully designed for principals, deputy principals, senior administrative leaders, and decision-makers responsible for shaping school systems. With a focus on instructional leadership, systems thinking, digital transformation, AI in education, adult learning, resilient team leadership, and school culture, the curriculum reflects the practical demands placed on today's leaders.

Participants are awarded a verifiable certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education upon successful completion of all program components.

"Education leadership today is no longer defined by administrative capability alone – it is defined by clarity of purpose, courage in decision-making, and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for every learner. The Education Leadership Program represents an extraordinary opportunity for leaders across the region to learn from one of the world's most respected institutions, to re-examine how schools can thrive in a world of rapid change. We are honored to bring this experience closer to educators who are shaping the future of our societies."
 — John Kallelil, Founder & CEO, XED

"We're pleased to collaborate on a program that brings research-backed leadership development to education professionals across the region. Our focus has always been on creating learning experiences that meet education leaders where they are, and this program reflects that commitment."
— Shaylyn Carey, Portfolio Director, Professional Education, HGSE

About XED

XED is a global executive education powerhouse built at the intersection of leadership, deep rooted vision, and brilliant execution capability. For over 10 years, we've been the trusted learning partner for 20,000+ Global CXOs and aspiring leaders - delivering enterprise-wide transformation across sectors.

Our programs are developed in collaboration with globally top-ranked universities, including Ivy League institutions, and are engineered to drive strategic clarity, execution excellence, and future-ready leadership at scale. While participants enroll from 25+ countries, XED has successfully deployed transformation teams across North America, India and South Asia, Middle East and Africa and Far East. XED is proud to represent a new generation of successful Indian based companies - globally integrated, intellectually serious, and structurally sound.

About Professional Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE)

Professional Education is a vital part of the Harvard Graduate School of Education Community. For over 50 years, we've met educators' professional development needs through faculty-led programs grounded in the latest research. Harvard's programs are designed to provide job-embedded learning and solutions that can be applied immediately to real-time problems of practice.

Every day, we strive to deliver exceptional professional education that is responsive and relevant to the challenges practitioners face. By doing this we empower educators and institutions around the world to better serve their students, schools, and communities.

For more information, visit https://harvard-elp.xedinstitute.org/.

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