How EdLEAP by IIM Calcutta is empowering educators to evolve into stronger institutional leaders

After over two decades in education, Siddharth Vora, Managing Director at Vora Educational Institute Pvt Ltd, realised he had reached a point where experience alone was no longer enough.“After spending 22 years teaching, I thought there was a glass ceiling which I needed to break,” he says.Like many experienced educators, Siddharth had spent years building academic and institutional expertise. But educational leaders today are increasingly expected to balance academics with strategy, operations, stakeholder management, and institutional growth. “I was looking for a management curriculum which gives me another set of insights, and I could definitely bring a breakthrough in innovation and strategy so that I can grow my institution.”That shift feels increasingly familiar across the education sector today. Many educators grow into leadership roles organically through experience, but few receive structured exposure to leadership and management learning designed specifically around educational institutions.And increasingly, that is creating the need for programmes that help school leadership evolve into stronger institutional leaders.Why many educators are now investing in leadership learningFor Priyanka Mukherjee, Cluster Head at SAT n Paper, the need for leadership learning became apparent when she realised that educational leadership today requires a broader perspective than academics alone.“Before I chanced upon this programme, I was looking at things only from a teacher’s perspective or as an educator’s perspective.”Her reflection echoes a reality many education leaders recognise today. Beyond academics, leadership increasingly requires a broader perspective on managing change, people, and institutions more effectively. “The programme’s focus on everything from micro-management to macro-management gave me insights I can directly apply in my professional journey.”Increasingly, leadership learning is becoming less about career progression alone and more about helping educators lead schools and academic environments more effectively in a changing ecosystem.That is where the Education Leaders’ Programme (EdLEAP) by the IIM Calcutta, offered in association with TalentSprint, Part of Accenture, is finding relevance among experienced education professionals looking to strengthen leadership and school management capabilities within a credible peer ecosystem. TalentSprint serves as the digital learning platform and outreach partner for the programme and, as part of Accenture LearnVantage, helps institutions and organisations build future-ready talent in an era shaped by technology, data, and AI. A programme built for educators leading schools, teams, and transformationOne of the strongest themes across participant experiences is how contextualised EdLEAP feels for education professionals. Rather than adapting a generic management curriculum, the programme is designed around the realities that educational institutions face every day. “The kind of curriculum is designed around educators to make more sense of the whole ecosystem,” says Shilpa Bansal.EdLEAP helps education leaders strengthen school management capabilities while applying management thinking to real institutional challenges.Some of the programme highlights participants particularly value include:One of the biggest strengths is the peer ecosystem itselfBeyond the curriculum itself, many participants repeatedly speak about the value of learning alongside fellow educators from across India.“One of the best parts about EdLEAP is that it is connecting educators from all across India,” says Shilpa Bansal, Education Consultant. That collaborative environment feels especially relevant because the cohort brings together directors, principals, senior teachers, founders, and academic leaders from across the country, creating a peer network shaped by diverse leadership experiences and educational realities.In fact, past cohorts have brought together Directors, Principals, Teachers, and Founders from across the education ecosystem, making peer learning one of the programme’s strongest differentiators for many participants.That diversity creates a learning environment where discussions are shaped not just by theory, but by decades of collective institutional experience across schools, coaching ecosystems, education businesses, and academic leadership roles. Building leadership capabilities beyond academicsEducational leadership today demands far more than academic expertise, with leaders increasingly expected to manage people, operations, change, and institutional growth. Participants across cohorts speak about how the programme helped them approach leadership with a stronger management and institution-building perspective. Some of the leadership and management areas participants are exposed to include: For Anuradha Bawa, Dean of Academics (Middle School), Welham Girls School, one of the biggest takeaways was understanding not just what happens inside institutions, but why.“I learned about conflict management, about the way a school should function, and through the case studies introduced to us by IIM Calcutta.”Similarly, Puneet Duggal, Vice Principal at Ahlcon International School, believes educational leadership today requires deeper investment in professional development and future-focused thinking.“It has expanded my vision as a leader, what is expected from a leader, what kind of skills will be required in future and what contribution I can make to my institution once I go back.”Beyond professional development alone, many participants gain a stronger understanding of how effective leadership can shape organisational growth, drive transformation, and help build more future-ready ‘institutes of excellence’. The IIM Calcutta edgeFor many participants, the IIM Calcutta ecosystem itself is a key differentiator. Ranked #1 in India for pedagogical experiences in the FT MBA Rankings 2025, IIM Calcutta is among the country’s most respected management institutions. It is also the only Indian business school in CEMS. Combined with experienced faculty, case-study-led learning, and Executive Education alumni status, the programme offers a strong leadership ecosystem.The value of learning that continues beyond the programmeOne of the lasting strengths of the programme is that learning continues beyond its duration.Participants also repeatedly speak about the confidence that comes from learning within such a high-experience peer ecosystem.For Siddharth Vora, the transformation became visible personally as well.“I personally feel that the change I see in myself today, compared to where I was a year ago, has been commendable.”And perhaps that is what makes EdLEAP increasingly relevant today. For many, the experience appears to extend beyond management learning into a closely connected network of education leaders who continue to exchange ideas, perspectives, and best practices even beyond the programme itself. EligibilityThe programme is designed for experienced professionals from the education ecosystem looking to strengthen leadership and school management capabilities. Applicants should have at least 10 years of experience as entrepreneurs, directors, executives, administrators, senior teachers, or school principals in the education sector.Strong institutions are shaped by leaders who continue to evolveEducational institutions today are changing, and so are expectations from those leading them. For experienced leaders and aspiring institutional decision-makers, EdLEAP by IIM Calcutta brings together leadership learning, practical exposure, peer collaboration, and school management thinking in one experience. Because ultimately, strong institutions are shaped by leaders who continue to evolve with the changing needs of education.Explore EdLEAP by IIM Calcutta and take the next step towards building stronger institutions through stronger leadership.Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of TalentSprint (part of Accenture LearnVantage) by Times Internet’s Spotlight team.