Women in School Leadership

The program is included in Victoria's India Strategy: Our Shared Future, to enhance people-to-people links between Victorian and Indian schools, in recognition of the importance of the Victoria-India relationship.

The program is fully subsided by the Department of Education (the department) for school leaders from Victorian government schools.

The WISL program aims to:

• immerse participants in the host culture
• engage inspiring women leaders in education, business and community to explore the theme and focus of WISL
• identify opportunities for collaboration and exchange with participating school leaders and their school communities
• create long-term partnerships between school leaders in Victoria and India through collaboration on issues of shared interest.

Program structure

The 9-month professional learning program structure includes:

• face-to-face (in-country) and virtual workshops focused on educational leadership, cultural intelligence, system knowledge-building and action research
• one mandatory face-to-face pre-departure session
• weekly self-directed learning
• peer-to-peer learning activities
• leadership coaching sessions
• development and showcase of a school improvement project.

The in-country component of the program includes:

2023-24 program participants

The 2023-24 participating schools represent the department's four major regions, including metropolitan and regional areas which showcase the breadth of experience Victoria's educators have to share. The following school leaders have been selected to participate in the program:

• Kim Mitchell, Aintree Primary School
• Erin Norman, Mitcham Primary School
• Tania Sorbello, Fitzroy North Primary School
• Ann Turner-Calleri, Edgars Creek Primary School
• Giselle Allgood, Lake Bolac College P-12
• Josie Millard, Kew High School
• Jodie Bray, Clyde Creek Primary School
• Lauren Harvey, Lyndhurst Secondary College
• Donna Wright, Bandiana Primary School
• Sarah Tyrrell, Cowes Primary School
• Elizabeth Davey, Quarters Primary School
• Sally Webb, Cranbourne Carlisle Primary School.

Victorian principals travel to India (October 2023)

The Victorian cohort travelled to India for 14 days in October 2023. The first half of the in-country immersion was based in Delhi and enabled the 12 selected Victorian school leaders to learn and collaborate alongside Indian school leaders through a series of workshops. The workshops focused on leadership, cultural intelligence, and comparative education policy. The cohort then travelled to West Delhi, Noida or Guguram for a multi-day in-school placement to observe best practice approaches to learning, wellbeing, and engagement.

The second half of the immersion was delivered in Bengaluru where school leaders attended the DIDAC Conference, Asia's largest exhibition in teaching and skills. School leaders actively participated in bespoke workshops aimed at strengthening bilateral dialogue on topics related to women in leadership and EdTech solutions for wellbeing. The conference provided unique networking and partnership opportunities for Victorian schools.

Indian principals travel to Victoria (May 2024)

A reciprocal visit for up to 12 Indian school leaders occurred in Term 2, 2024. The WISL program culminated with a showcase of action-research projects focused on the following themes:

• girls’ education for empowerment
• engaging community for learning and wellbeing
• learning ecosystems for diversity and inclusion
• cultural intelligence for leading self and others.

Key dates

Applications for the 2023-24 WISL program have now closed.

For more information and questions regarding the 2024-25 program, please email: global.learning@education.vic.gov.au