Student-Centered Leadership in Higher Education: Rethinking Administrative Practices for 21st-Century Learners

Education

Instability in basic learning assumptions, technological disruption and the requirement for productive managing style are prompting universities and colleges to integrate student centered leadership designs. In this research, student centered leadership is investigated as an alternative, change focused administrative approach in which the student voice and participation is placed as the center of institutional governance. This research is based on contemporary literature and analyses how leadership styles, governance frameworks and institutional culture impact on student participation and learning outcomes. A qualitative methodology for data gathering was used in collecting data through semi structured interviews with university leaders, faculty, and student representatives in five institutions. The results show that though student centered leadership increases faculty members’ academic engagement, innovation, and the creation of democratic learning environments, its usage has been constrained by structural inertia, the fact that faculty never received the needed training, and tokenistic approaches. Finally, this paper makes recommendations for higher education leader and policymakers to incorporate authentic, inclusive, and sustainable student-partnered leadership practices.

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