Centre for Teaching & Learning conducts Cohort V of Nurturing Future Leadership Programme held from 16-20 March
Senior IIMB faculty engage with future academic leaders through sessions on leadership, strategy and institution building
03 June, 2026, Bangalore: The Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) conducted Cohort V of the Nurturing Future Leadership Programme (NFLP) from 16th to 20th March 2026 at IIM Bangalore. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and in accordance with the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), the NFLP has been designed to facilitate training for senior faculty at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to prepare them for leadership roles in academia.
The Programme Director of the fifth cohort of NFLP was Prof. Sushanta K Mishra, Chairperson, Centre for Teaching & Learning, Research & Publications, and C-DOCTA, Editor-in-Chief, IIMB Management Review.
Inauguration and Introduction
Prof. Sushanta K Mishra, faculty of the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area at IIMB, inaugurated NFLP Cohort V, encouraging participants to focus on incremental growth and resilience. He highlighted the importance of expanding one's capacity to manage stress, introduced leadership frameworks such as the Skill/Will Matrix, and underscored the value of effective delegation and prioritisation.
Leadership and Institutional Building
Prof. Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Professor In-charge, New Campus and faculty of the Strategy area, led a session on ‘Leadership and Institutional Building’, tracing IIM Bangalore’s evolution through successive phases of growth and transformation, from engaging with private enterprise, strengthening research orientation and global faculty linkages, advancing distance education through MOOCs, to globalising through international centres.
He emphasised adaptability in response to external environments, financial sustainability, impactful research, alumni engagement, and the pursuit of global benchmarks in higher education.
Strategic Thinking and Planning
Prof. Rejie George Pallathitta, Chairperson of the Strategy area and NSRCEL, conducted a session on ‘Strategic Thinking and Planning’ using the Indian airline industry as a case study. Through SWOT, PESTEL, and Porter’s Five Forces analyses, participants explored strategic decision-making and sustainable competitive advantage in dynamic environments.
Emotional Resilience and Self-Management
Prof. Gopal Mahapatra, Professor of Practice, faculty in the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area, and an organizational transformation expert, led a session on ‘Emotional Resilience and Self-Management’. He engaged participants through a deep exploration of emotional intelligence, beginning with a 50-item self-assessment that enabled educators to evaluate their competencies in self-awareness, emotional regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Peer discussions around these scores fostered reflection on strengths and areas for improvement.
A distinctive feature of the session was his ability to connect personally with participants in their native languages, creating an inclusive and immersive learning environment. Emphasising learning agility, he used the S-curve metaphor to illustrate the evolving trajectory of an academic career, urging educators to continuously upskill and remain adaptable.
Through a case-based discussion on the Pygmalion effect, he highlighted how high expectations can drive superior performance, reinforcing its relevance in academic settings. He encouraged educators to remain self-motivated and proactively seek growth opportunities.
Role of institutional leaders in creating a sustainable society
Prof. Sourav Mukherji, Dean, Faculty, and faculty in the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area, delivered a session on the role of institutional leaders in creating a sustainable society, urging educators to integrate sustainability and inclusivity into teaching and institutional practice. “All teachers are actors, and they must plan, design, execute, and inspire students to solve problems,” he said. Drawing on examples of social enterprises, he highlighted how education can help address societal challenges and reduce inequalities.
Legal Perspectives for Educational Institutions
Prof. Anil B Suraj, Chairperson, N.S. Ramaswamy Pre-doctoral Fellowship (NSR Pre-doc) and Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, and faculty of the Public Policy area at IIMB, examined ‘Legal Perspectives for Educational Institutions’, introducing the Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) framework within India’s land acquisition regime.
Moving from theory to practice, Professor Suraj emphasised that effective legal management in educational institutions requires robust systems such as consistent record-keeping, clear communication and the presence of a dedicated legal function or advisor. He also stressed the growing importance of alternative dispute resolution, particularly mediation, as a proactive and non-adversarial approach aligned with evolving regulatory expectations.
The session concluded with a key insight: Academic leaders must therefore adopt a strategic understanding of legal principles to navigate ambiguity, mitigate risks, and make informed institutional decisions.
Communicating for ROI
Prof. Malavika R Harita, Founder & CEO, Brand Circle and Member, IIMB Board of Governors, addressed leadership and communication dilemmas in higher education, emphasising the importance of listening, seeking feedback from both verbal and non-verbal cues, personal branding and stakeholder engagement.
“Good academics need to be people specialists and good communicators”, she said. She encouraged participants to combine the spirit of lifelong learning with emerging technologies to strengthen institutional impact.
The Art and Science of Negotiation
Prof. Shankar Venkatagiri, Information Systems area, introduced participants to negotiation through case-based learning, covering key concepts such as the Zone of Possible Agreement and consensus-building. The technical case encouraged peer learning and discussion and ensured that participants internalized the pillars of negotiation. The session used various pivot points in the case and extended the application of learnings in the academic institutional context.
Decision Making
Prof. Mukta Kulkarni, Dean, Programmes, Chairperson, Office of International Affairs, and faculty of the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area, led discussions on decision-making in academic institutions.
Encouraging peer learning through a scenario-based approach, Professor Kulkarni posed issues that academics face for each stakeholder. Participants shared their experiences in their respective institutions, and the professor helped them analyze the problems and arrive at solutions that would help in the long-term growth of both the faculty member and the educational institution.
Professor Kulkarni next highlighted the use of technology in academic institutions and urged future leaders to invest in and commit to staying abreast of the latest tools to empower themselves and their institutions. She provided working examples of technology adaptation to increase learning in students.
She further urged academicians to experiment in controlled areas, with an active feedback network to aid future leaders in effective decision-making.
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