Leadership skills for the 21st century of administrators in the University of Nanning City under Guangxi Province
Keywords:
Leadership Skills for the 21st Century, University Administrators, Higher Education Leadership, Nanning City, Guangxi ProvinceAbstract
This study aimed to identify the components of 21st century leadership skills among university administrators in Nanning City, Guangxi Province, and to propose implementation guidelines for enhancing these skills. A mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected from 310 professors selected through stratified random sampling from 1,551 professors across ten universities, while qualitative data were obtained from focus group discussions with 9 experts. The conceptual framework, synthesized from relevant literature, initially included six dimensions: vision, organizational management, communication, staff development, strategic planning, and collaboration. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis, and qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings showed a high overall level of leadership skills among administrators (M = 4.12). The data were suitable for factor analysis (KMO = 0.829; Bartlett’s Test, χ² = 14,615.382, p < .001). Seven components were identified: organizational management, visionary management, staff development, collaborative leadership, communication competence, systematic management, and strategic planning. Together, they explained 62.298% of the total variance. Based on these findings, 33 implementation guidelines were proposed to support leadership development and strengthen institutional effectiveness in higher education.
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