معرفی
Nicola Sum is a Senior Lecturer within the School of Education, Culture & Society at Monash University's Faculty of Education. With twenty years of experience in school systems across Victoria, the UK, and international sectors, she brings extensive practical knowledge to her academic role. Her work focuses on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and postgraduate studies of globalisation in education, drawing from her background as a former school principal who returned to complete doctoral studies on the inter-connected nature of globalisation and educational leadership.
Dr. Sum's research interests span multiple critical areas in contemporary education:
- Educational Leadership in global and local contexts
- International Education frameworks and implementation
- Gendered experiences of leadership and social injustice
- Hope theory as resistance in educational settings
- Sustainability practices in educational leadership
- School leadership beyond crises and the 'new normal'
Her recent scholarly work demonstrates a clear trajectory examining leadership through the lens of crisis, globalization, and hope. The publications reveal a consistent focus on how educational leaders navigate complex challenges, with particular attention to women's experiences and the role of hope as both psychological resource and political resistance. Her research increasingly incorporates transnational perspectives, examining leadership across different cultural contexts and educational systems.
Dr. Sum has received recognition for her contributions to the field:
- Faculty of Education Emeritus Mentoring Scheme (2020)
- Finalist for the Politics of Education Association (PEA) Outstanding Dissertation Award (2020)
Her advisory and grant activities reflect substantial engagement with educational leadership challenges. She has served as Primary Chief Investigator on seven significant research projects since 2016, including 'Transformative leadership through geopolitical crisis: Stories of women and teams working in marginalised communities' (2023) and 'Reimagining leadership in times of crisis and the new normal' (2020-2021). Her work with Social Ventures Australia demonstrates practical applications of her research to improve education through social networks.
Dr. Sum maintains active professional engagement through editorial roles with Review of Education and the International Journal of Educational Management, and as a peer reviewer for Scientific Reports. She regularly presents at international conferences and contributes to academic discourse through blogs on topics like glocalization of school leadership and educational leadership during the pandemic.
