Educational Leadership As A Strategy For Strengthening Universities

Abstract

Educational leadership has been positioned as a fundamental strategy to strengthen universities in a global context marked by challenges such as digitalization, inclusion, and sustainability. This article has a systematic review approach, analyzing the literature published between 2019 and 2023 on the topic. The analysis was aimed at identifying trends, gaps, and opportunities in research on educational leadership in universities. The findings highlight the relevance of transformational and distributed leadership to foster innovation, adaptability, and institutional cohesion. At the same time, significant gaps persist, such as the lack of longitudinal studies and the scarce attention to non-Western contexts. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of agile and resilient leadership, capable of managing crises and promoting digital transformation. The integration of interdisciplinary perspectives—psychology, anthropology, and technology management—enriches the analysis, offers tools to address complex challenges, and develop more inclusive and effective strategies. This article concludes that educational leadership is key to strengthening universities, but requires a contextualized and multidimensional approach that responds to the demands of the 21st century.