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International Leadership program 

parcours de formation adoc talent management

This unique, interdisciplinary and international program is designed for sensior academic leaders to drive the transformation of higher education in an era of global uncertainty and systemic transition.

Each of the selected locations represents a distinctive higher education ecosystem facing common global challenges (massification, innovation, governance reform, inclusion) but responding through different institutional models, policy frameworks, and cultural logics. Together, they provide a rich comparative foundation for academic leaders seeking to position their institutions in a globalized knowledge economy.

Throughout the program, participants engage in comparative case studies, regional immersion workshops, and policy simulations, supported by a global network of mentors, guest speakers and peer leaders. This approach provides both strategic distance and contextual intelligence, empowering leaders to design locally grounded yet globally informed institutional strategies.

Duration: 12 months | Format: hybrid (Online + Onsite) | Locations: Paris, Sharjah, Hong Kong, Montreal 

A Unique Proposal for Academic Leardership in a Changing World

In a era marked by â€‹geopolitical instability, systemic transitions, growing student populations, accelerating digitalization and the rapid evolution of scientific careers, universities are called upon to reivent themselves. This program is designed to support higher education leaders in navigating both strategic and human transformations.

Built on a European, international, and cross-sectoral approach, the program targets rectors, presidents, vice-presidents, deans, program directors, heads of academic divisions, and senior administrative officers seeking to strengthen their analytical, decision-making and leadership capacities in a evolving academic landscape. 

The program is structured to accommodate this diversity throught:​​

​Personalized mentoring and coaching, tailored to each participant’s role and institutional context;

 

​Peer learning groups organized by functional proximity;

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Leadership diagnostic tools to help each participant identify their priorities for development and action.

​A “core leadership mindset” unites all participants, while the content adapts to their operational realities.

  This program is built on a clear conviction:

 

It is by equipping higher education leaders with the ability to think and act systemically — on their institutions, their ecosystems, and themselves — that we can support the strategic transformation of academia.

Our approach combines organizational, individual, and systemic levels of change. Rather than treating leadership as a set of static competencies, we frame it as a transformative posture: one that enables academic leaders to engage with complexity, uncertainty, and contested values, while delivering impact across the missions of teaching, research, innovation, and civic responsibility.

A Pedagogical Architecture Designed for Impact

The program unfolds in three distinct yet complementary phases: 

 1 Dedicated to the foundations of academic leadership (from case studies and state-of-the-art literature), offers strategic and systemic grounding through online modules, flipped classrooms, and self-assessment tools. It enables participants to grasp the major global transformations in higher education through seminars and comparative case studies. 

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 2 Emphasizes immersion and co-development: participants will engage with diverse innovation ecosystems (France, Germany, UK, Canada), take part in collaborative workshops, and benefit from personalized coaching. This phase fosters the ability to lead under uncertainty, mobilize talent, and design impactful cross-institutional strategies.

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​ 3 Focuses on institutional transformation: each participant develops a Strategic Institutional Project (SPI), supported by a dual mentorship (expert and academic), culminating in an international forum and a collective publication. 

A Scientific, Political, and Operational Program

This executive program is designed to equip higher education leaders with the vision, tools, and strategic mindset required to navigate the deep transformations reshaping academia globally.

  • ​Strategic and operational tools to drive transformation in their institutions - from human resource management to inclusion, sustainability, and innovation.

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  • Hands-on experience and peer learning, through real-world case studies, role-play simulations, leadership coaching, and strategic planning exercises.

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  • A personalized transformation project, supported by expert mentoring, aligned with their institutional priorities and career aspirations.​

offre adoc talent management

Participants will acquire:

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  • Fundamentals of academic leadership, with a focus on governance, values, and the ability to lead in complexity and uncertainty.

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  • A systemic understanding of higher education institutions and their global ecosystems, including​ policy trends, societal demands, and innovation imperatives.​​

The program builds not only knowledge and skills - but also a transformative posture to act confidently as an academic leader in a rapidly changing world.

Unit 1 - Higher Education in

Transition

20 hours

​Analyzes global transformations in higher education systems through political, sociological and economic lenses. Focus on governance, international soft law, autonomy, and inclusion vs excellence dilemmas. Comparative case studies and policy simulations.

Unit 2 - Strategic Leadership and Organizational Change

25 hours

Explores adaptive and transformational leadership in public institutions. Includes 360° diagnostic, leadership coaching, governance workshops, and strategic planning excercises.

Unit 3 - Innovation, Deeptech and Academic Entrepreneurship

20 hours

​Focus on startup ecosystems, valorization, and innovation governance. 

​​Focus on doctoral policy, research careers (R1-R4 model), mobility, and institutional career support. Data-based workshops using SECURE project. Health and well-being monitoring. 

Unit 4 – Academic Careers and Intersectoral Trajectories

20 hours

Unit 5 - Inclusion, Diversity and Sustainable Transitions

20 hours

​​Benchmarks inclusive and sustainable strategies from EUA, IAU, and Harvard ALI. Topics include bias reduction, data-driven equity, and climate-responsible leadership in universities. 

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Unit 6 - Hybrid Spaces between Research, Policy and Pratice

20 hours 

​Grounded in boundary organization theory, this unit builds capabilities to co-produce policies with stakeholders. Participants analyze global examples (EEF, KMb, RPPs) and design their own hybrid unit for their institution. 

Unit 7 - Strategic Project

Implementation (PSI)

40 hours

This unit represents the culminating experience of the leadership program. Each participant designs, develops, and initiates a Strategic Project Implementation (SPI) aligned with their institution’s transformation goals. The SPI serves both as a leadership learning space and a real-world application platform, enabling participants to enact targeted, systemic changes within their academic environment.

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Unit 8 - Human Resources Management in Higher Education

25 hours

​Includes strategic HR planning, career development, R1-R4 frameworks, QWL, and risk prevention. Workshop simulations: performance interviews, feedback dilevery, and talent retention strategies.

Pedagogical Approach & Evaluation

The program adopts a progressive learning model: diagnostic, knowledge building, co-construction, and transformation. Modalities include seminars, case studies, coaching, and individual reflection journals. Evaluation is continuous and portfolio-based.

Some references

Tuition & Enrollment

  • Tuition: €11, 000 / participant (institution-funded).

  • Tallored institutional formats available upon request.

  • Open to international applicants.

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        Next cohort: January 2026.

Contact & information 

Program Coordination: Adoc Talent Management 

Scientific Direction: Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Doctorate (LID)

Contact: leadership@adoc-tm.com

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