Book excerpt: This volume focuses on the need to establish good leadership in academic settings and higher education institutions in India. It provides an understanding of the higher education system, knowledge, skills, and experience required for better leadership and management of academic institutions. The book highlights the importance of practising data-driven decision making for leaders of dynamic organizations within a complex social, political, and economic environment. It explores how a systematic leadership programme needs to be developed to ensure academic leadership effectiveness. While discussing federal and state systems of higher education, policies and regulations, key leadership strategies for improved institutional performance and better institutional governance, the volume outlines how effective academic leadership helps in building teams, nurturing staff, strengthening alliances, developing research capacity and strategic planning, and renewing academic programmes. This volume will be of interest to teachers, students, and researchers of education, higher education, management education, and political economy. It will also be useful for academicians, policy makers, management leaders, and academic leaders.