For well over two decades, Antioch’s PhD in Leadership and Change and the International Leadership Association have been close partners. A number of Antioch faculty and alumni have served in leadership roles in the organization, and, simultaneously, a number of ILA members have become students in and graduates of the doctoral program. “Our Antioch students and alumni carry a badge of pride,” says retired faculty Elizabeth Holloway, “knowing that our program has been a part of the founding of the organization and that we remain a visible force.”
The International Leadership Association (ILA), founded in 1999, is a global community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to advancing the study and practice of leadership with a focus on human and planetary well-being. In parallel fashion, Antioch’s PhD in Leadership & Change, founded in 2001, has educated hundreds of scholar-practitioners to lead positive change in organizations and communities across the United States and the world.
The annual ILA Global Conference brings together a large, diverse group of committed scholars and practitioners from around the world, creating an energetic and innovative learning space. Whether in Barcelona, Brussels, London, Vancouver, Chicago or Atlanta, the annual gatherings have become high points bringing dozens of PhD in Leadership and Change students, faculty, and alumni together to present, discuss, and host sessions. It is a chance for alumni to embrace old friends and meet up with faculty. It is an opportunity for PhD in Leadership and Change students to participate in a uniquely organized optional residency experience. And it is a convening where Antioch scholar-practitioners can present their most recent scholarship and dissertation research.
This is a powerful and synergistic partnership for both the ILA and the PhD in Leadership and Change, through which they each have grown and impacted their shared interdisciplinary fields. In reflecting back over her 15 years as the program’s primary faculty liaison with the ILA, Lize Booysen, DBL, Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior, emphasizes how important it is “to help our students build their presentation agility, and to bolster the synergies between Antioch’s amazing PhD Leadership and Change program, our alumni, and the welcoming ILA community.” She says this important, long-standing partnership has energized both organizations to continue to break down borders, be they geographic or disciplinary.
The PhD in Leadership and Change’s presence at the most recent ILA Global Conference, held last October in Prague, included Antiochians giving more than a dozen presentations and workshops, highlighting the breadth and depth of scholarly and real-world expertise within the PhD in Leadership and Change program. The University was honored as the featured sponsor at the Welcome Reception, providing prominent visibility. Aqeel Tirmizi, Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior, took the opportunity to deliver plenary comments highlighting Antioch’s courageous mission and its values-driven programs. The well-received remarks also highlighted opportunities for attendees to engage with representatives of Antioch’s learning community ‘ambassadors.’
What adds to the richness of this partnership is the alignment of ILA’s values with our program’s goals.
— Aqeel Tirmizi
This partnership provides a powerful platform for Antioch’s students, alumni, and faculty to share thought leadership and practice insights, pursue professional development, and build their networks. And it is a natural fit. “What adds to the richness of this partnership is the wonderful alignment of ILA’s values and mission with the PhD program’s goals and aspirations,” says Tirmizi. “As a globally minded organization with a commitment to the collective good of people and planet, ILA has been an important creative space where the PhD in Leadership and Change program community has proudly added its bold voice over the last two decades to advance responsible leadership and change.”
