Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Nicola Sum is a Senior Lecturer within the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Informed by twenty years in school systems across Victoria (Australia), the UK and the International sector, her work in the faculty involves core units on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and postgraduate studies of globalisation in education. A prior school principal, and an invited expert to the UNESCO Teacher Task Force School Leadership Network at its inception, Nicola is passionate about the voice of educational leaders in the field. Her current research projects include VUCA leadership, innovation, diaspora engagement, and the relationship between hope and education.
Research interests
- Leadership
- Globalisation
- International Education
- Gender
- Hope and education
- Innovation and Sustainability
Monash teaching commitment
- Educational leadership
- Principal preparation
- Teaching Partnerships- Working with families & communities
- Expertise in Teaching
- Learning & Educational Inquiry
- Interacting with research in education contexts
- Investigating education issues in global contexts
- Graduate Certificate in Educational Research
Research area keywords
- Educational leadership and policy
- Hope in Education
- Critical spirituality
- Gender
- Globalisation
- International Education
- English Medium Schools
- Educational Leadership Studies
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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Caulfield Grammar Kakadu Program
Thambar, P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Kober, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Sum, N. (Chief Investigator (CI))
31/05/26 → 30/06/27
Project: Research
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Transformative leadership through geopolitical crisis: Stories of women and teams working in marginalised communities
Sum, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & Gindidis, M. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/01/23 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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The Social Ventures Australia Bright Spots Schools Connection: Improving Education Through Social Networks
Brooks, M. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Sum, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brooks, J. S. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Daly, A. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/09/20 → 1/11/22
Project: Research
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Reimagining leadership in times of crisis and the ‘new normal’
Sum, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
1/06/20 → 31/03/21
Project: Research
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Transnational experiences of women in educational leadership
Sum, N. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/09/19 → 31/01/21
Project: Research
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School leaders' perceptions of their roles during the pandemic: an Australian case study exploring volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA leadership)
Sum, N., 2022, In: School Leadership & Management. 42, 2, p. 188-207 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
36 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
School leadership and information literacy: leading in crisis and beyond COVID-19
Sum, N., 2022, Leadership After COVID-19: Working Together Toward a Sustainable Future. Dhiman, S. K. & Marques, J. F. (eds.). 1st ed. Cham Switzerland: Springer, p. 307-322 16 p. (Future of Business and Finance).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
4 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Glocalization: issues and strategies for school leadership
Sum, N., 2021, The School Leadership Survival Guide: What to Do When Things Go Wrong, How To Learn from Mistakes, and Why You Should Prepare for The Worst. Brooks, J. S. & Heffernan, A. (eds.). 1st ed. Charlotte NC USA: Information Age Publishing, p. 117-130 14 p. (Leadership, Schools, and Change).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
14 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Hope theory as resistance: narratives of South Asian scholars in Australian academia
Sum, N., Lahiri-Roy, R. & Belford, N., 27 Jan 2025, In: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 44, 1, p. 26-40 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
12 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Quiet in the mind: women leading during crisis explored through a lens of hope
Sum, N., 2024, In: School Leadership & Management. 44, 5, p. 567-585 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
6 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Finalist: Politics of Education Association (PEA) Outstanding Dissertation Award
Sum, N. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Other distinction
Activities
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Review of Education (Journal)
Sum, N. (Editorial board member)
2025Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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Scientific Reports (Journal)
Sum, N. (Peer reviewer)
2024 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Peer review responsibility
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Pontso Moorosi
Sum, N. (Host) & Chan, W. (Host)
Oct 2023 → Nov 2023Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Hosting an academic or industry visitor
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International Journal of Educational Management (Journal)
Sum, N. (Editorial board member)
Feb 2023 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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School Leadership & Management (Journal)
Sum, N. (Editorial board member)
2022 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
Press/Media
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It’s not you, it’s me: The great breakup for leadership, diversity and representation in education
15/11/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Blogs
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Glocalization (Local + Global Considerations) of School Leadership
28/07/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Blogs
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Educational leadership and COVID-19: ASEAN reflections on continuity, community and innovation
25/05/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Blogs