Research tells us that improving student learning, engagement with learning and wellbeing requires quality teaching. For teachers and leaders to continue to meet the needs of all students, there must be effective professional learning to support and enhance teachers’ / leaders’ knowledge and practice throughout their careers. Effective professional learning is undertaken in supportive and collaborative environments and most effective when it is relevant, collaborative and future focused. Professional learning is not an end in itself; it is, or at least it should be, a means to an end and that end is improved student learning outcomes. So the role of educational leaders is more important as they support teachers to engage in professional learning to improve educational outcomes. Internationally, the connection between leadership and the quality of learning and teaching remains undisputed and the principal’s role in providing strategic leadership in relation to this is critical. Yet the creation for teachers and leaders of effective professional learning cultures which impact on pupil learning is often overlooked in the day-to-day process of teaching and pupil assessment. In this context a two days symposium on Leading Professional Learning in Educational Institutions, is being organized by Partap college of Education under the patronage of International Professional Development Association, UK and in collaboration with University of Wales: Trinity Saint David and University of Glasgow. This symposium will provide a platform for school / college heads, teachers, teacher educators to come together to share their views, concerns and develop strategies, models and techniques to lead and support professional learning of teachers, as the prime object is to improve what they do, not merely what they know.

This symposium aims to explore how this critical function is undertaken in a range of contexts (Punjab, UK, globally), what actions and resources are required to support this and to put in place a local action plan for change and improvement.