Leadership as a key to the development of educational institutions: Systematic theoretical review
Keywords:
Educational leadership, Institutional management, Transformational leadership, Organizational development, Pedagogical innovationAbstract
The aim of this systematic theoretical review is to analyze leadership as a key factor in the development and strengthening of contemporary educational institutions. A systematic literature review methodology was applied, selecting scientific articles published between 2015 and 2024 from academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and SciELO. Inclusion criteria focused on studies addressing leadership styles, educational management, and their impact on institutional improvement. The results show that transformational leadership is the predominant approach in educational contexts due to its capacity to foster motivation, pedagogical innovation, and organizational commitment. Institutions that promote collaborative and distributed leadership also demonstrate higher levels of teaching performance, institutional cohesion and adaptability to change. The findings conclude that leadership is a strategic component for guiding quality assurance processes, strengthening organizational culture and enhancing teacher professional development. Additionally, there is a need to implement leadership training policies that support effective and sustainable practices.
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