How a VIU master’s degree transformed Swedish educator Ingela Netz’s career
With a successful and established career in her home country of Sweden, Ingela Netz’s desire to become a better leader drew her to VIU’s Master of Education in Educational Leadership program.
“I will forever treasure these two years and the time I´ve spent on campus, as well as all the online sessions with instructors and peers,” she says. “I hope to contribute even more to educational transformation in my home country.”
How did your time at VIU shape your career path?
I am 54, and I already have a great career. I wanted to strengthen and deepen my knowledge to become a better leader with even more options for interesting assignments as a senior management consultant. With my master´s degree, I hope to contribute even more to educational transformation in my home country – Sweden.
Were there any specific skills or experiences from university that have been particularly valuable in your career?
My program is learning about leadership and educational transformation in general, as well as more specifically in your own context. It also provides valuable insight into understanding oneself and reflecting on one’s own leadership. I am a wiser and more reflective person and leader now. I have also widened the range of research and didactic tools I can use in my teaching and leadership roles.
The decolonizing perspective is strong in the program. That has provided new insights about how I can contribute to either uphold the status quo or be a catalyst for transformation and sustainable change in the educational system.
When we met on site during summer courses, we always started and ended every day in a circle, reflecting and sharing about our personal experiences and learning. The circle and the state of psychological safety it creates are concepts I frequently use in my professional career.
What advice would you give to students who want to follow a similar career path?
Learn as much as you can about yourself by reflecting on your experiences, opinions and beliefs together with others. Being a leader requires personal maturity, and taking on a program like MEDL will provide you with the time, challenging questions and peers you need for deep learning. Allow yourself to be vulnerable! I have a favourite expression that I often remind myself and others about: “It’s difficult to look pretty when you’re learning.” Be open to the learning that is given to you. Allow yourself to make mistakes or have doubts. That’s the only way to get by the biases and assumptions that otherwise will mark your path and narrow down your possibilities.
Was there a particular professor that had a lasting impact on you?
Dr. Paige Fisher, who just retired from her role, has been the most inspiring, generous and competent leader of the program. Sha was also my thesis supervisor, and I would not have achieved what I did without her advice and mentorship.
If you could give one piece of advice to current students, what would it be?
Embrace the concept of “cwelelep”! It is one of the principles of learning from the Lil´wat Nation and it means recognizing that being in a place of uncertainty and discomfort can lead to new learning. When something seems too complex, too complicated or too odd, stay long enough to make sure you learn, instead of basing your decisions and opinions on assumptions.
How can students make the most of their university experience to prepare for the real world?
Think about yourself as a lifelong learner! Don’t rush through graduate studies too early. Give yourself time to grow, and try different careers to ensure you know where your passion will take you. If you aim for leadership, take any chance to practice leadership in voluntary positions in your community or your sports club. It is rewarding to take graduate programs where you combine a daily job with your studies. What you learn academically will immediately benefit what you do professionally, and what you experience at work will deepen your understanding of your academic learning.
How can alumni like yourself support students who are just beginning their journeys?
Michael Fullan said, “To some extent, a school leader´s effectiveness in creating a culture of sustained change will be determined by the leaders he or she leaves behind.” If I can contribute to someone’s learning by being a mentor, a good listener or an advisor, I want to do that as part of my aim to contribute to a better world for all. And if I can inspire others to take on a learning journey later in life, I am delighted!
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