27 February saw the launch of a unique event - the 14th edition of the Academy of Leadership for Educational Leaders (APLO). Once again, we are honoured to support the programme, implemented since 2011 by the Humanites Institute. Thanks to NEXERA's involvement, four school principals from the Warmia & Mazury Region will take part in a project aimed at developing managerial and business competencies, as well as improving the quality of education in Polish schools.

The Academy of Educational Leaders Leadership (APLO) is an initiative aimed at school leaders who want to develop their leadership skills and implement innovative solutions in their work. More than 600 principals from all over Poland have already participated in all editions of APLO, and nearly 1.5 million children are studying in schools managed by graduates of the programme. This is the fourth time NEXERA has been a partner of the Humanites Institute project. So far, thanks to our support, more than a dozen principals have had the opportunity to develop their leadership skills by participating in workshops, lectures and meetings with experts in various fields related to education. Through their participation in APLO, teachers are inspired to work towards innovation and quality education.

At the opening of this year's edition, Paweł Biarda, Commercial Board Member at NEXERA, gave a presentation on the growing role of digitalisation in schools. He drew on data from the #RegionyNEXERY2022 report, which shows that the internet is opening up new possibilities in education.

“High-speed connectivity is becoming standard in many schools, allowing teachers and students to use new and innovative educational tools. What's more, data transfer on the internet will increase by up to a dozen times over the next decade, so everyone should have access to ultra-fast optical fibre by now. Undoubtedly, schools should continuously prepare students for the new digital reality. This is a challenge that requires the commitment of both teachers and the entire team led by a leader with managerial experience," Paweł Biarda, Board Member of NEXERA.

Representatives from Abris Capital Partners and the PFR Foundation also shared concrete advice with participants and expressed support for future educational leaders. In turn, Zofia Dzik, founder of APLO and President of the Humanites Institute, made an appeal to the education system to prepare children and young people, in cooperation with families and the school environment, not only for the next test, but also for an independent, responsible and good life in a rapidly changing world. She stressed the great importance of providing education leaders with opportunities for top-level development that are often reserved only for business people.