Search Results (923)

The leadership of the university teacher has the most important role in the development of the educational institution and society. Universities are facing rapid societal changes and the need for innovative pedagogical approaches, including the potential for faculty members to emerge as leaders both within and beyond their classrooms, becomes increasingly salient. Teacher leadership in this context represents a collaborative ethos, where educators engage in shared decision making, curriculum development, and pedagogical innovation, thereby enhancing both academic and institutional outcomes. University teachers play a crucial role in achieving the 4th Sustainable Development Goal by leveraging their leadership skills to provide inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education. Teacher leadership and student satisfaction are considered to be interconnected but, in turn, teacher leadership is influenced by teacher disposition. The intricate interplay between professor leadership and student satisfaction within higher education institutions (HEIs) reveals significant implications for both faculty and student experiences. This study investigated two aspects: firstly, the effect of teacher dispositions, especially motivation, communication, conscientiousness, teacher efficacy and willingness to learn, teacher leadership, and secondly, how teacher leadership affects student learning satisfaction. A survey was developed using questionnaire structural equation analysis using SmartPLS 4.0. Three hundred eighty-nine students studying in public universities in Mongolia participated in the survey. The research results show that teacher dispositions such as motivation, communication, and conscientiousness positively affect teacher leadership. In addition, it was proven that teacher leadership positively affects student learning satisfaction. Full article

Existing research has primarily focused on investigating barriers in developed countries, emphasising economic, technical, and governmental factors which impede the diffusion of green building practices. However, developing regions, including the Middle East, often must be represented in green building research. Understanding these region-specific barriers is important for developing tailored solutions. In addition, existing identified green building barriers have primarily been obtained from the industry sector, while perspectives from other stakeholders, such as academia, have less attention. Hence, this study compares the perspectives of academic and industry professionals regarding the possible barriers which may impede the adoption of green buildings, with a particular focus on cultural, educational, and social factors. A mixed-method approach was employed, including a large-scale survey (n = 1112) with 54% of the participants being from the industrial sector and 46% being from the academic sector, as well as 17 semi-structured interviews to triangulate the data obtained from the survey. The study was conducted in Saudi Arabia as a representative case of the Middle East. Participants reported 23 barriers, which were themed into six groups: economic, technical, governmental, market demand, educational, and cultural barriers. Notably, seven of these barriers were reported for the first time in this study, including a lack of integrating green building concepts into university curricula, cultural preferences for traditional construction practices, resistance to change, prioritisation of economic factors over environmental and social considerations, a limited number of completed green building projects, delays in the permit and approval processes, and a lack of leadership and coordination. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the industry and academic perspectives (p < 0.05, d = 0.61) regarding the barriers to adopting green buildings, with academics over-reporting the educational, cultural, and technical barriers compared with the industry sector. Based on the identified barriers, five strategies were suggested which could help promote the widespread adoption and long-term sustainability of green buildings in the Middle East. Full article

The role of the school principal has garnered international significance. When it comes to student learning outcomes, the effectiveness of the principal has been recognized as being more important than the effectiveness of a single teacher. Studies also highlight the role school leadership plays in fostering equity and social justice practices in schools and communities. Yet only a small body of research exists on how to prepare leaders to lead for equity. In this paper, we will describe, analyze, and reflect on the components of one school leadership preparation program’s (SLLP’s) candidate assessment system (CAS), which guided the selection of equity-centered leadership candidates for a cohort program in a university–district partnership. We applied a qualitative content analysis to the documents we utilized to select aspiring equity-centered leaders through the program’s redesigned CAS. Our findings revealed that the content and process of the program’s CAS was aligned with many tenets of equity-centered leadership, specifically in CAS documents and in the involvement of a broad group of constituencies and partners during the design and implementation of CAS. We also uncovered a new finding outside of our framework: an emphasis on instructional leadership in our CAS documents as a key component of leading for equity. This study is likely to inform other SLPPs intending to select leadership candidates who will have the capacity to lead for equity. Full article

This study explores the perspectives and experiences of three Muslim female headteachers in Islamic schools in England, each with over twenty years of experience, to understand how they perceive and negotiate their leadership roles. Using Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s theory of agency and structure, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted in three phases: 2010–2012, and 2018–2020. The rich longitudinal data, despite the limited sample size, provided an in-depth understanding of emerging themes around Muslim women’s leadership in British Islamic schooling. Analysis reveals that these headteachers conceptualise leadership through the Islamic principles of imāmah (spiritual leadership), qiwāmah (guardianship), and amānah (trusteeship), emphasising ethical responsibility, continuous learning, and service-oriented leadership. Their leadership within this framework is neither submissive to men’s authority nor rivalling it but acts as an autonomous agency through the Tawḥīdi (Oneness of God) theological framework and akhlāq (ethical framework), defending chosen values within the Ibādah (worship; acts of devotion to God alone) context. Motherhood is seen as intrinsic to their leadership, with nurturing, guiding, and supporting roles extending from home to school, challenging the dichotomy between private and public spheres. This paper contends that the current educational leadership models are predominantly Western, failing to capture the unique experiences and perspectives of female Muslim leaders who reject framing their perspectives within feminist parameters. Advocating a decolonised approach, centring these women’s coherent religious conceptual frameworks, the study suggests that these leaders’ practices offer a unique perspective on educational leadership, blending spiritual, ethical, and communal responsibilities, and calls for further research to explore the identified themes in broader contexts. Full article

The significance of Total Quality Management (TQM) lies in its ability to enhance organizational efficiency, foster continuous improvement, and cultivate a culture of quality, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and sustained success. Conducted within the context of the Croatian furniture industry, this research aims to analyze and understand TQM, identify key implementation factors, and formulate a tailored assessment model. The methodology involves a literature review, the integration of relevant TQM factors, and empirical research using a structured questionnaire distributed among a representative sample of Croatian furniture companies. The resulting model encompasses Supplier Quality Management, Engagement of People, Employee Education, Continuous Improvement, Process Management, Company Strategy, Introduction of New Products, Customer Orientation, and Leadership Involvement. Empirical validation demonstrates positive correlations and high reliability. Despite its industry- and country-specific focus, this research offers valuable insights for academics and managers, providing a foundational set of key TQM implementation factors that are applicable beyond the studied context. In addition, the furniture industry, relying on wood as its main raw material, significantly contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through sustainable manufacturing practices, with an emphasis on TQM in production. Full article

Faculty’s voice behavior is crucial in promoting institutional reform and sustainable development in higher education institutions. However, there is still significant room for exploration regarding how to effectively stimulate such behavior among faculty. This study, based on data collected from 630 Chinese university faculty, investigates the conditions under which mission valence can promote voice behavior in higher education settings. The study involved constructing a moderated mediation model, with thriving at work as the mediator and servant leadership as the moderator, to explore the relationship between mission valence and faculty’s voice behavior. The results reveal that mission valence has a significant positive impact on faculty’s voice behavior in higher education and indirectly promotes such behavior through the mediating role of thriving at work. Furthermore, it was found that servant leadership plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between thriving at work and faculty’s voice behavior, enhancing the overall mediation mechanism. This study extends our understanding of the relationship between mission valence and faculty’s voice behavior in the context of Chinese higher education and provides practical insights into strategies for promoting faculty’s voice behavior. Full article

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) has profoundly transformed industries worldwide through the integration of advanced digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, digital twins, building information modeling (BIM), and the Internet of Things (IoT). The Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) sectors are increasingly adopting these innovations to meet the evolving demands of the global market. Within this dynamic context, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a front-runner and significant investor in this sector, as evidenced by the launch of ambitious mega-projects such as NEOM and The Line. These developments prompt valuable discussions about the readiness of graduates to adapt to rapid technological advancements and meet the current demands of the Saudi market. Although numerous studies have explored this issue, the Saudi context presents unique challenges and opportunities due to the accelerated pace of change within the ACE sectors, driven by the goals of Vision 2030. For this reason, this paper aims to address this gap by exploring the readiness of architectural programs in the context of Saudi Arabia to meet the demands of Industry 4.0. To achieve this, a comprehensive literature review was conducted, developing an analytical framework. Subsequently, a multiple-cases approach was employed, with an overall top-level discussion on the undergraduate architecture program subjects available in the five regions in Saudi Arabia. A combination of field observations, domain expertise, and evidence-based coding methods was employed to develop the SWOT analysis. The SWOT framework was utilized to identify key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within the current academic programs. The findings were then analyzed in a comprehensive discussion, highlighting necessary transformations in existing programs. The methodology employed in our study involves prolonged engagement and persistent observation to enhance the quality and credibility of the discussion. This paper serves as a roadmap for guiding future educational reforms and aligning architectural education with emerging industry demands and technological advancements in the field. Four key themes are essential for aligning architectural education with Industry 4.0: sustainability in the built environment, innovation and creativity, digital applications in the built environment, and entrepreneurship and leadership in venture engineering. It also strongly emphasized sustainability courses and noted notable deficiencies in preparing students for a digitally driven professional landscape. For example, the average program comprises 162 credit hours and 58 courses, with only six related to Industry 4.0. The top five institutions offering Industry 4.0 courses ranked from highest to lowest are ARCH-U11, ARCH-U8, ARCH-U3, ARCH-U4, and ARCH-U15. ARCH-U11 offers the most Industry 4.0 courses, totaling 15, which account for 26.8% of its courses and 15% of its credit hours, in contrast to ARCH-U20, which offers no courses. The novelty of this research lies in its comprehensive analysis of the readiness of architecture program curricula from 20 Saudi universities to meet the requirements of Industry 4.0. Importantly, these findings support previous studies that established guidelines that mandate the inclusion of sustainability, innovation, and digital skills in architectural education programs. Contribution to the knowledge and findings is valuable for educational institutions, policymakers, and industry leaders, offering insights into evolving architectural education to meet future industry demands and foster technological innovation and sustainable development. Moreover, it provides actionable recommendations for curriculum development in alignment with Vision 2030. Contrary to expectations, findings show that lower-ranked universities offer more Industry 4.0-related courses than higher-ranked ones, emphasizing the need to align university evaluation standards with labor market demands. Full article

Australian education faces persistent challenges in preparing and retaining teachers within rural contexts. This qualitative study examines the attributes of thriving rural teachers through focus group discussions with 103 rural educational leaders. Utilising a theoretical framework combining attribution theory and ecological systems perspectives, the study synthesised leaders’ perceptions of key dispositions and behaviours contributing to rural teachers’ success. Four interconnected dimensions emerged: being community, classroom, professionally and personally equipped. This study revealed that while individual teacher attributes are crucial, school support and community context significantly influence teacher success. The application of attribute theory further revealed that findings attributed teacher’s success to internal, stable, and controllable factors, suggesting that key traits could be developed through targeted professional development and experience. This study provides nuanced insights into ’rural readiness’, informing education policy decisions and practices, initial teacher education institutions, schools, and communities. The study emphasises the need for a holistic approach to teacher preparation and support that considers both individual and systemic factors. Full article

Many education systems adopt neoliberal privatisation and marketisation approaches to diversify education provision and improve quality. England is a leading example, transforming local authority-maintained schools into academies. In contrast, Finland resists neoliberalism and maintains a small number of independent schools. This paper examines how resources and leadership are distributed in academies and independent schools to explain the different educational paths taken by England and Finland. This study uses a scoping review approach to explore and contrast academies and independent schools. The comparison covers aspects such as history, education administration, local governance, accountability, curriculum and performance, teacher professional development and home–school–community relationships. The findings reveal that academies in England often concentrate leadership roles and resources among a privileged few, including large Multi-Academy Trusts, technocratic trustees and curriculum experts. This concentration tends to marginalise local communities and parents, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In Finland, independent schools serve a supplementary role within the education system, catering to specific cultural, linguistic and religious groups while adhering to the national core curriculum and regulations. While existing studies critique the academisation movement in England and commend the high-performing public school system in Finland, a direct comparison between academies in England and independent schools in Finland has been lacking. This systematic review offers original insights into these two types of schools and clarifies why neoliberal approaches often exacerbate rather than mitigate disparities in education access and equity. Full article

The development of leadership competencies is a current topic in the scientific community. The weaknesses detected in our study reflect the limited treatment offered to this area of work and the current struggle of rural elementary school directors in navigating the challenges of the digital era. The following methods and techniques were used at the theoretical and empirical levels: analytical–synthetic, historical–logical, inductive–deductive, systemic, documentary analysis, observation, surveys, interviews, and self-assessment scales. The systematized theory is based on the process of development of leadership competence in school directors as a dimension of educational quality. This research introduced a professional development strategy for the development of leadership competence in primary school directors consisting of three stages, with their objectives and actions contributing to raising the scientific methodological level of these management teams, including workshops, consultancies, accompaniments, and case studies, as well as monitoring their transformation. The proposed strategy improves the educational leadership skills of school principals, encourages mastery of content, and increases the degree of motivation and interest in management work. It is based on the diagnosis of their reality, and it includes the combination of improvement, methodological, and self-improvement actions to stimulate reflection and the active involvement of participants in their own transformation process. Full article

This article reports on a study examining 28 university engineering educators’ viewpoints on how to provide continuing education for professional engineers in a Danish university context. The Q methodology was adopted to collect and analyze data qualitatively and quantitatively. Three significantly different viewpoints were identified, prioritizing (1) a continuing engineering education (CEE) business model as an institutional priority, (2) organizational structure, and (3) pedagogy inspired by problem-based learning (PBL). The study also captured consensus on the importance of identifying the industry’s need for CEE organizations. The results reveal that CEE development needs to address diverse voices from different stakeholders, including leadership, academic faculty, and administrators; thus, suggestions from an organizational change perspective are proposed in four key aspects of CE organizations. Full article

This article reports on a study examining 28 university engineering educators’ viewpoints on how to provide continuing education for professional engineers in a Danish university context. The Q methodology was adopted to collect and analyze data qualitatively and quantitatively. Three significantly different viewpoints were identified, prioritizing (1) a continuing engineering educa-tion (CEE) business model as an institutional priority, (2) organizational structure, and (3) pedagogy inspired by problem-based learning (PBL). The study also captured consensus on the importance of identifying the industry’s need for CEE organizations. The results reveal that CEE development needs to address diverse voices from different stakeholders, including leadership, academic faculty, and administrators; thus, suggestions from an organizational change perspective are proposed in four key aspects of CE organizations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nursing professionals are often subject to social stereotypes that can hinder effective teamwork with other healthcare professionals and limit their professional growth. Interprofessional education (IPE) enhances teamwork skills and promotes a better understanding of other professional groups. This study aimed to identify the presence of stereotypes associated with nursing among postgraduate nursing and student physicians specializing in emergency medicine and to assess the applicability of simulation as an IPE strategy. Methods: A pilot study using high-fidelity simulation activity focusing on interdisciplinary collaboration was designed for students in the master’s programs in emergency nursing and emergency medicine at the Catholic University of Murcia. The activity took place in May 2024 and involved 52 participants (24 postgraduate nursing students and 28 postgraduate student physicians). A mixed-method descriptive study was conducted using a 16-item self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality, Fisher’s F test, and the Mann–Whitney U test to evaluate the relationship between variables (p < 0.05). Results: A total of 22 questionnaires were collected (16 from nurses postgraduate student and 6 from postgraduate physicians). Positive attitudes toward nursing stereotypes were found in 9 of the 13 items. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups regarding most stereotypes, except for one. Negative stereotypes about nursing leadership, professional autonomy, and patient relations were more prominent among nursing students. Conclusions: Stereotypical perceptions exist among both postgraduate nursing and postgraduate student physicians, particularly in nursing leadership and autonomy. Most participants expressed satisfaction with the simulation-based IPE activity, indicating its value in improving the understanding of other professionals’ roles. IPE should be incorporated into health sciences education. Full article

This paper examines how local governments monitor the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through voluntary local reviews (VLRs), focusing on localised practices from 2016 to 2024. Given the crucial role of local authorities in SDG implementation, the research aims to analyse differences in monitoring approaches and indicator usage across various types of local governments worldwide. The analysis involved 120 VLRs, using both quantitative methods to assess the number of indicators per goal and semantic clustering techniques to explore thematic patterns. Results show that cities are the most active in SDG localisation, especially for goals aligned with urban governance, such as Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities) and Goal 4 (Quality Education). Some goals, such as Goal 15 (Life on Land) and Goal 17 (Partnerships), are less frequently monitored, reflecting challenges in translating national objectives to local contexts. Semantic clustering highlighted both strong alignments and gaps in SDG indicator usage, particularly for overlapping goals. The paper underscores the need for more tailored, context-specific indicators for local authorities to effectively monitor SDGs, while highlighting the leadership role that cities play in this process. Full article

The leadership literature suggests that a servant leadership style can reduce negative employee outcomes, even in challenging work environments such as the educational sector, where teachers play a key role in social development. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of servant leadership on work happiness and organizational justice. An explanatory study was carried out including 210 men and women who declared that they perform teaching activities, aged between 21 and 68 years (M = 38.63, SD = 10.00). The data were collected using a self-report scale of servant leadership, work happiness and organizational justice, obtaining an adequate measurement model (α = between 0.902 and 0.959; CR = between 0.923 and 0.963; AVE = 0.604 and 0.631; VIF = between 1.880 and 2.727). The theoretical model was evaluated using the Partial Least-Squares PLS-SEM method. According to the results, the hypotheses were confirmed, demonstrating that there is a significant positive effect of servant leadership on work happiness (β = 0.69; p < 0.001) and organizational justice (β = 0.24; p < 0.001) and a positive effect of work happiness on organizational justice (β = 0.61; p < 0.001). This research provides valuable insight for educational leaders seeking to improve perceptions of happiness and justice in their organizations and promotes servant leadership to achieve this goal. Full article