PRACTICAL | INSIGHTFUL | INSPIRATIONAL
Host: Professor Zachary Walker (Professor, Department of Education Policy and Leadership, The Education University of Hong Kong)
The Education Policy and Leadership Podcast: Why It Matters explores the work and ideas of leading researchers, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide. Through engaging conversations, the podcast translates leadership research and policy into practical insights, helping listeners understand how evidence can inform and improve educational practice.
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Any comments or questions? Contact: eplpodcast@eduhk.hk!
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Guest: Professor Philip Hallinger (Global Talent Professor of Management, Mahidol University & Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Johannesburg)
In this episode, Professor Hallinger reflects on his journey from special education teacher in the United States to educational leadership researcher and practitioner in Asia. He explains how his early classroom experiences sparked an interest in instructional leadership: moving beyond school administration to creating the conditions for better teaching and learning.
Professor Hallinger shares why he left a tenured professorship at Vanderbilt University for Thailand, and how local educators challenged him to put his theories into practice at Mahidol University’s College of Management. Drawing on his experiences in Thailand and Hong Kong, he explores how culture, hierarchy and consensus-building shape leadership, and what educators can learn from collective responsibility in Asian schools.
The conversation also touches on his current work in sustainable leadership. It closes with his reasons for optimism: the possibilities an uncertain future holds and the lasting influence of teachers who care deeply about their students.
Here, you can explore the work and ideas of leading researchers, practitioners, and policymakers around the world. Through engaging conversations, the podcast translates research and policy into practical insights, helping listeners understand how evidence can inform and improve educational practice.