Niamh LaffertyI am a lecturer in educational leadership at the University of Limerick, Ireland and course director of the Masters of Education in School Leadership, and former course director of the Masters of Education in Educational Leadership. I have published articles in the field of educational leadership with more currently in press. I am an active researcher in educational leadership, currently researching topics on imposter phenomenon in educational leadership, school leaders experiences and perspectives on the integration of Ukraine students to schools, and educator targeted bullying. I have supervised multiple undergraduate and postgraduate students in the field of educational leadership, and presented at international leadership conferences. I am also a co-convener of the doctoral RIG for BELMAS 2023.
Throughout my academic career I have worked diligently towards improving quality education through the medium of educational leadership in primary and secondary schools. Having worked in the area of educational leadership as a researcher, lecturer, and course director of two postgraduate programmes for aspiring and practicing school leaders, I am passionate about the evolution of educational leadership both nationally and internationally.
My knowledge of educational leadership practices is broad and varied which is evidenced in my research work and writing. I have published articles relevant to the field of educational leadership, with more currently in press, and others in the review process. My publications focus on areas such as authentic leadership, transformational leadership, continuous professional development, and perspectives of promotions in schools. In terms of research, I am currently project lead for numerous research topics including school leaders’ perspectives and experiences of integrating/including Ukraine refugees into their schools, the existence of the imposter phenomenon in school leaders, and school leader targeted bullying.
I have extensive experience of collaborations with national and international stakeholders in the field of educational leadership. I have worked with national policy makers in the area of school leadership including the Centre for School Leadership and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals in Ireland. I have also worked closely with international partners from HEIs across Europe. I am currently project lead for an international project aiming to set-up a Teacher Academy to promote Relational, Emotional, and Affective Leadership (REAL) skills in schools through the medium of school leadership and a whole school approach. This project brings together HEIs, primary schools, secondary schools, and policy makers in Ireland, Norway, Holland, Spain, Croatia, and Poland.
Overall, my research, my work as course director of school leadership postgraduate programmes, and my experience in fostering and maintaining collaborations with a variety of stakeholders in educational leadership, strongly support my position as an advocate for educational leadership. Additionally, I believe my work complements that of BELMAS and that our underpinning values are strongly aligned. For these reasons, I would like to act as a member of the BELMAS council.
