Idea

Delivering REAL change: The Future of Leadership

Alyssa O’Brien

Given the challenges of the job market today, there has never been a better time to focus on the skills needed to lead in a changing world. 

With technological change affecting almost every industry, it’s increasingly important for professionals to be able to show evidence of their continued engagement in learning – both on the job and through formal education’, explains Dr Hayler Fisher, Academic Director of Post Bachelor and Continuing Education at the University of Sydney.

The University of Sydney offers many pathways to skills development for the job market. Advanced study can help students to, in Dr Fisher’s words, ‘put themselves in the best position to take their next career step’. 

So what are the specific skills necessary for future leaders in Australia? Professor Philippa Pattison, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Education, identifies three areas:

  1. To become agile and innovative systems thinkers who see possibilities
  2. To learn to lead diverse teams and work with different perspectives and backgrounds
  3. To develop data literacy in order to critically analyse new sources and modes of data analysis across various industries and sectors

Developing further skills and training is not only ideal, but arguably a necessity in order to stand out from the crowd. According to Dr Fisher, ‘It’s not just about knowing the current state-of-the-art, but showing that you will continue to be learning tomorrow’s state of the art.’ Continual learning in key areas promises to be a pathway to success. 

Some of the areas the University has identified as ‘getting real’ about include gender equality, sustainability, health, technology and the environment.

These themes have long been celebrated by TEDxSydney, in memorable talks such as by Dr Suzie Sheehy, on the power and potential of curiosity-driven research. Dr Sheehy has a demonstrated commitment to science communication beyond academia. 

On the 2019 TEDxSydney Youth stage, HY William Chan – an urbanist and designer dedicated to creating resilient and inclusive places for people who attained a Bachelor of Design in Architecture Honours, graduating in 2014 from University of Sydney- gave his insightful talk on Refugees as Architects of Their City and Future and posed the important question of whether refugees can be empowered to transform their own environments through the circular economy, and ultimately be the next generation of creatives, technologists and innovators?

From Derek Muller’s research at the University of Sydney which led to his talk on the key to effective educational science videos to Nicole Gurran, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Sydney, challenging the housing crisis in Australia on the TEDxSydney stage in 2018. 

Developing critical thinking about ‘tomorrow’s state of the art’ has been a hallmark of the University of Sydney for over ten years.“As a world-leading university we are driven by the view that finding solutions to our biggest problems starts with changing how we look at them. TEDx shares this vision and provides a platform for people to share big ideas and encourages them to think differently.” University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence said.

The university’s postgraduate programs are certainly leading the charge in educating Australians to become leaders in the new reality of today’s job market, and finding to solutions to problems our future generations will face.

If you’re thinking about upskilling, furthering your education or want a competitive edge, join the University of Sydney at one of their upcoming masterclasses to get a taste of what it’s like to study a postgraduate degree. Browse the Postgraduate Masterclass Series here.

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