This panel discussion will address the critical role of effective leadership in higher education in leading engaged universities. It explores leadership approaches that drive engagement among faculty, staff, and students, foster a culture of innovation, and enable transformative change within universities. The discussion will examine strategies to maximize impact through stakeholder engagement, focusing on building effective models for university-industry partnerships, cross-sector collaborations, and community engagement initiatives. By creating meaningful societal impact, universities can proactively contribute to addressing pressing challenges addressed by the UN- SDGs and drive positive change within their communities.

Overall, the panel aims at:

• Exploring effective leadership approaches that can be adopted for universities to drive engagement, foster innovation, and lead transformative change.
• Highlighting the importance of stakeholder engagement and discussing effective models for university-industry partnerships, cross-sector collaborations, and community engagement initiatives to maximize impact.
• Discussing how to establish culture of innovation within higher education institutions, and the sort of strategies that can be put in place to foster creativity, embrace new ideas, and implement transformative changes.
• Showcasing exemplary initiatives from universities that have successfully driven engagement, fostered innovation, and led transformative change, providing participants with practical knowledge and inspiration for their own institutions.