68/25 Opinion | The Power of Leading by Example: A Pakistani Educator's Call to Transform Academic Leadership

In an age when education systems worldwide face challenges of relevance, integrity, and innovation, a simple act by a Pakistani academic leader reminds us of the timeless value of leading by example.

During an appearance on Geo News' program Geo Iqra Moashra (معاشرہ), Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, an internationally respected academician and founding Vice Chancellor of the National Skills University Islamabad, delivered a powerful message to fellow educators: Leadership is not just about policy - it's about action. Sometimes, it begins with something as small as picking up a discarded face mask.

Dr. Mukhtar recounted a moment from the early days of his tenure at the newly established National Skills University. While walking through the hallways during admissions season, he noticed a couple of masks littering the corridor. He picked them up and threw them in the dustbin without a second thought. Not to his knowledge, a family visiting the university with their son witnessed the act. When they later learned that the individual who had picked up the trash was none other than the Vice Chancellor himself, they made an instant decision: this was the university where their child would study, a place where humility and responsibility are practiced at the top.

This is the kind of leadership the academic world needs today.

But Dr. Mukhtar's efforts go beyond symbolism. He advocates innovative, student-centered education, and his initiatives reflect this commitment. In a society where gender-specific spaces in educational institutions are often overlooked, Dr. Mukhtar pushed through resistance to establish a dedicated garden for female students at National Skills University Islamabad. It is now a vibrant, safe, and serene space where young women study, share ideas, and build lasting relationships. What began as a bold move is now widely celebrated by students, parents, and government officials.

His message to academic leaders is urgent and clear: "You cannot manage students the way you used to a decade ago." The world is evolving faster, and academic leaders must evolve with it. Today's students live in a world shaped by artificial intelligence, mental health challenges, climate anxieties, and socio-political upheavals. To reach them, educators must adapt through curriculum, mindset, spaces, and daily interactions.

Dr. Mukhtar's philosophy is grounded in compassion, observation, and proactive change. His vision aligns with the global call for inclusive, agile, and ethically anchored academic environments. It's a model that deserves attention not only in Pakistan but across the world.

In many parts of the developing world, universities are still stuck in rigid hierarchies, resistant to change, and emotionally distant from the student body. Dr. Mukhtar's leadership style, a blend of innovation and humanity, demonstrates how this mold can be broken and how meaningful change can start with something as ordinary as picking up trash.

Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar offers a roadmap for reclaiming academia's moral and intellectual integrity. Lead with your actions. Innovate with courage. Above all, care like a parent for your students.