The purpose of this study was to analyse the accountability of academic positions for permanent lecturers at Muhammadiyah University, Kendari. This qualitative research involved 15 participants, including university leaders, academic officers, administrative officers, and lecturers. The research location was Muhammadiyah University Kendari, Kendari City, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. The data types used included primary and secondary data, while data sources included person, place, and paper (3P). The data were analysed using an interactive qualitative model procedure that included data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing/verification. This study found that the accountability of permanent lecturers' academic positions is not optimal, as evidenced by the adequacy of credit points (AK) and the implementation of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. There are fundamental weaknesses in the academic position levels of permanent lecturers, namely that very few permanent lecturers hold the academic position of associate lecturer, and no permanent lecturer holds the academic position of professor. These weaknesses are caused by the lack of research and community service, and the low motivation of permanent lecturers to publish research and service results either through books or in reputable scientific journals. The recommendation from the findings of this study is that permanent lecturers with academic positions of expert assistants and lecturers should improve and develop the quality of education and teaching, research and community service, and scientific publications.

This study examines how intranet quality affects the financial performance of Malaysian public universities, filling a crucial gap in understanding how internal digital infrastructure supports institutional sustainability. It highlights Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) as a mediating factor translating intranet quality into measurable performance results. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 210 participants, including risk committees, internal auditors, and top management from 20 public universities in Malaysia. This study used purposive, stratified, and census sampling methods. Intranet quality was evaluated across six key areas: collaboration tools, risk management application, access to proper risk data, interaction in risk problem-solving, communication among the risk committee, and risk management controls. ERM implementation was measured using ISO 31000-aligned standards, while university financial performance was assessed through five income sources: research projects, consultancies, public and private funding, commercialisation, and program offerings. Covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) was employed for analysis. Findings reveal that intranet quality significantly improves ERM implementation, positively impacting financial performance. ERM partially mediates this relationship, with more substantial indirect effects than direct ones. This study emphasises the strategic importance of digital infrastructure and risk governance in boosting institutional effectiveness. It proposes a socio-technical model that helps university leaders leverage intranet systems to enhance risk resilience and long-term financial sustainability.

Introduction Teaching and learning are not often highlighted in research-intensive science,technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate training. Thus, many faculty in STEM fields are unfamiliar with the ways educational theories can inform how to transform their teaching to reflect the contextual awareness and critical sensibilities needed to lead diverse groups of students. Professional development has traditionally served as the “on-the-job training” for faculty and instructors to improve their teaching skills, and communities of practice, such as faculty learning communities (FLCs), have emerged as a promising training outlet, including for inclusive teaching practices. Methods To explore faculty’s implementation of inclusive practices, we convened inclusivity-focused FLCs at three partner institutions across different institutional levels (i.e., department-, school-, and institution-wide). To this end, we conducted surveys and experiential interviews with faculty participants, including those who also served as FLC facilitators, from each institution. Results The faculty participants reported positively on their experiences within their FLCs, and they provided feedback that resulted in three key findings: (1) institutional context must be considered when developing and planning FLCs, (2) catalyzing trust and vulnerability are required for inclusivity-focused FLCs, and (3) sustaining active engagement from FLC members can be difficult given institutional opportunities and faculty demands. Discussion These findings can help inform improvements to FLC implementation and support faculty in adopting inclusive strategies in their classrooms, ultimately creating better learning environments for students. This study’s findings, discussion, and conclusions are likely to be interesting to engineering and STEM faculty, faculty developers, and university leadership seeking to weave inclusivity into their classroom culture.

A new era of higher education in Debrecen began in 2000 – decades after the 1912 founded state university was split into several institutions in 1950 – the Debrecen University was established from four independent institutions, offering the broadest range of study programs in the country with five university faculties, three college faculties, nine institutes and three associated institutions. This study reviews the preliminary steps which had been taken to prepare for the institutional integration within the framework of the Debrecen Universitas Association and the Debrecen University Association, describes the circumstances surrounded the failure of the direct integration of church institutions, and details the events connected to the launch of the new university, also presenting the recollections of those involved in the university leadership at the time. The success of the Debrecen University integration was based on its special characteristics, such as broad-based leadership, close cooperation of rectors elected for a short period from different fields of science, highly decentralized management, the establishment of the Medical and Health Sciences Center and the Agricultural Sciences Center – which combined high-level clinical work and agricultural activities, respectively, with the function of related faculties –, and an infrastructural investment program that enabled advances in the majority of educational areas and focused on support of scientific research. Based on the structural decisions, internal integration processes were launched for consolidated operation of informatics, the libraries and language departments, and in the activities of specialty coordination centers, to facilitate cooperation in educational programs and research work. A constructive and harmonious relationship had been developed with the newly formed university-level students’ union and, within the framework of a collective agreement with the institution's employees. The cooperation agreement with the city of Debrecen, the interconnection with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and participation in the founding of the European University Association were of decisive importance in the university's external relations. The joint works in developing the identity of the University of Debrecen, the creation of symbols and brand images linked to the historical Debrecen Reformed College resulted in trust-based cooperation and breaking down of barriers between the integrating communities of scholars, researchers, students, and employees.

This study examines the role of organizational communication in supporting the internationalization of a private computer university in Bandung, West Java toward achieving World Class University (WCU) recognition. Using Karl Weick’s theory of organizing particularly sensemaking and enactment the study reveals how communication enables leaders and stakeholders to interpret global standards, coordinate actions, and adapt to changing expectations. Employing a qualitative case study method, data were collected through interviews with university leaders, program heads, faculty, students, and international partners. The findings indicate that communication at a private computer university in Bandung, West Java functions as a dynamic mechanism of sensemaking that aligns leadership vision, cross-unit collaboration, and stakeholder engagement while navigating challenges of regulation, resources, and cultural adaptation. The process also reflects strategic alignment with QS World University Rankings (QS WUR), Webometrics, UniRank, and Scimago Institutions Rankings (SIR) standards. Effective communication thus becomes central to enacting internationalization and shaping institutional identity.

The article analyzes the theoretical foundations, legal frameworks, and practical aspects of the professional and personal development of academic teachers in Ukraine and Poland. It discusses the philosophical and psycho-pedagogical underpinnings of professional development, outlines its strategic directions and principles as articulated in national and international legal acts, including laws of Ukraine and Poland, national concepts, strategies, and UNESCO documents. The authors highlight the need to revise approaches to continuous professional development in light of contemporary challenges. Key issues hindering the professional development of academic staff in Ukraine are identified: ineffective diagnosis of educational needs, low motivation among academic personnel, insufficient recognition of non-formal and informal learning outcomes, limited involvement of private actors in providing educational services, and lack of systematization of international experiences. Specific solutions to these problems are proposed. Special attention is devoted to the Polish experience in the professional development of academic staff, which is characterized by flexibility, decentralized management, active support for soft skills and digital competencies, and the integration of formal, non-formal, and informal education. A comparative analysis of the professional development systems in Poland and Ukraine is presented. The authors propose adapting constructive elements of the Polish model to Ukrainian realities: institutionalizing mentoring, improving mechanisms for certifying non-formal education, implementing a national digital competence framework, and developing a grant support system for academic staff. The conclusions presented in the study may be useful for education policymakers, university leadership, researchers, and academic teachers interested in their professional development.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess existing knowledge on leadership paradigms that foster sustainable development, identify innovative pedagogical approaches that incorporate sustainability into curricula, compare the roles of academic leaders in driving educational transformation and examine obstacles and facilitators to comprehensive integration. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review of 50 studies (published between 1996 and 2025) using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods was undertaken, focusing on leadership models, curriculum development, pedagogical innovation, institutional support and stakeholder engagement. This systematic review synthesized insights from these studies that investigated the ways in which these elements could coalesce to promote sustainability education within higher education institutions (HEIs). Findings The review suggests that while transformational and participatory leadership styles have consistently emerged as key enabling conditions, they cannot be effective without mediating institutional conditions. Ultimately, successful integration is not simply a by-product of leadership style. Rather, successful integration is the result of a set of causally linked events in which leadership positions the institution to develop supportive policy, resource support and faculty development opportunities for the innovative use of pedagogy. The most successful initiatives in this review demonstrated a high degree of connectivity between the leader’s vision, the formal supports and structures provided by institutional formal supports and faculty agency to enact experiential and interdisciplinary pedagogies. The review examined critical institution factors identified in previous research, which influence success related to a supportive policy environment and cultural resistance. The synthesis of these studies indicates a need for stronger empirical evidence to identify and understand the sorts of leadership that best enable HEIs to transform curriculum and systematically scale pedagogical innovations. Importantly, the review contributed a degree of groundedness and complexity to how sustainability may be embedded within higher education, and the role that context is likely to play. Practical implications This review provides a guide for university leaders, showing that to be successful in integrating sustainability, they will need to first work on creating a supportive institutional context as the critical prerequisite to embed widespread curricular and pedagogical change. Originality/value This review’s primary contribution is its critical synthesis of the mechanisms by which leadership practices translate into widespread curricular and pedagogical change. Moving beyond a simple inventory of best practices, it dissects the causal pathways and mediating factors, such as institutional policy and faculty incentives, that determine whether leadership vision results in scaled and durable sustainability education. By mapping these interconnected dynamics, the paper offers a more nuanced model for understanding and overcoming the persistent gap between institutional sustainability goals and classroom reality.

This study aims to explore the key factors influencing human resource (HR) performance in universities, focusing on both administrative and academic staff. By adopting a dual perspective, the research first examines the determinants of HR performance within university administration, followed by an analysis of how these factors affect academic personnel. The study seeks to answer three fundamental questions: (1) What factors influence HR performance in universities? (2) Which HR practices have the greatest impact on HR performance in a university setting? (3) Is the university’s strategic vision aligned with HR strategy and the routine work of its human resources?To address these questions, the study will employ a mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative analyses. A key component of the research will be a structured survey designed to investigate the perceptions of administrative and academic staff regarding the factors that influence their performance, the impact of these factors on the quality of their work, and the extent to which institutional policies and strategies are effectively translated into their daily tasks. The survey will provide empirical insights into the perceived importance of various HR practices and strategic initiatives, lighting on potential gaps between institutional objectives and workforce realities.By analysing the survey data in parallel with institutional policies and best practices in human resource management, this study aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for university leadership, policymakers, and HR practitioners. The findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of HR dynamics in higher education, offering strategic insights to enhance HR efficiency and institutional performance.

This article adopts a sociology of management perspective to examine the competency profile of higher education faculty. It identifies competency gaps as well as competencies whose development proved most effective within the framework of a corporate academic development program. The article aims to juxtapose higher education faculty’ needs for professional competency development with the possibilities for meeting these needs through managerial decisions within university academic development programs. The conclusions are based on empirical research conducted by the author in October-November 2024 among faculty staff (questionnaire survey, n=2120). The survey encompassed 15 Russian universities (including 11 participants in the «Priority 2030» program and 4 candidate institutions). Over the past 12 months, nearly a quarter of instructors experienced competency gaps. Half of this group reported the most acute shortage in technological competencies, a figure significantly exceeding the proportion (37%) who engaged in their targeted development through training activities. Professional competencies, despite ranking second in terms of deficit (31%), were addressed to a greater extent (61%) by university academic development programs, indicating the efficacy of managerial approaches to academic staff development. A developmental imbalance is observed concerning interpersonal interaction competencies: 16% of respondents reported a shortage, while 27% developed these competencies through university programs, exceeding the reported deficit. The most significant gap between perceived deficit and actual development was observed in technological competencies (difference of 20%), necessitating particular attention from university management in planning and implementing academic development programs. Leadership competencies were developed by only one in eight faculty stuff (12%) over the past year, against a perceived deficit of 18%, highlighting the timeliness of enhancing university programs for developing instructors’ leadership potential as part of strategic human resource management. Among representatives of different age groups, a decrease in the subjectively perceived deficit was noted for most competencies, which may be explained by their sufficient development by mature age within existing frameworks for managing instructors’ academic development. Technological competencies represent an exception – their perceived shortage increases with the instructor’s age. The obtained results indicate the necessity of adjusting managerial priorities in instructor competency development, with an emphasis on technological and leadership skills, and underscore the importance of enhancing the effectiveness of managerial decisions within programs designed to develop these competencies. The findings may prove valuable to researchers in the sociology of higher education management, as well as to university leadership in devising a comprehensive strategy for managing the academic development of research and teaching staff and specific instructor academic development programs.

Leadership in Islamic education is facing growing challenges that require a shift from single-authority systems toward more collaborative and participatory governance. This study aims to analyze how the collective-collegial leadership model of the kyai operates in managing Islamic educational institutions. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and document analysis involving kyais, administrators, and committee members. The findings reveal three major themes: distributed authority that balances moral legitimacy and administrative efficiency; collaborative governance that ensures transparency, shared responsibility, and policy sustainability; and collective leadership that institutionalizes a unified organizational vision through formal documentation. The study’s novelty lies in integrating Islamic values of (deliberation), ukhuwah (brotherhood), and amanah (trust) into a structured model of participatory leadership. The results imply that leadership development in Islamic education should emphasize ethical collaboration, institutional documentation, and inclusive decision-making to achieve long-term organizational resilience.

Purpose This study aims to explore the critical role of quality management in supporting sustainable lecturer capacity development in Indonesian higher education. It examines how universities adopt adaptive strategies to align professional development with institutional and national educational goals more effectively. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative multiple-case study design was used across six universities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with quality managers and lecturers and were analysed thematically to capture the interplay between structure, culture and daily academic practices. Findings The results highlight three key strategies: needs-based internal training, participation in external professional development and the strengthening of collaborative discussion forums. Active management involvement is crucial for fostering an adaptive, participatory quality culture that goes beyond bureaucratic compliance towards transformative capacity building. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on selected Indonesian universities; future research could extend the inquiry to include various institutional contexts or use mixed-methods. Practical implications The findings provide guidance for university leaders and policymakers in designing context-sensitive professional development systems. Originality/value This study offers novel insights into how quality management frameworks can be reframed as dynamic and participatory mechanisms for academic capacity building in developing countries.

ABSTRACT In 2020, we, a group of five faculty and one student, co-authored A Proposal for Reckoning: Centering Decolonial and Anti-Racist Research and Practice to share with our college leadership amid institutional, national, and international incidents and reckonings with racism and colonialism. We argued that the enduring legacies produced by racialized and settler-colonial institutional logics impeded our ability to fully thrive as teachers, students, and scholars. Deeply motivated by what we saw as necessary institutional reckoning, our report proposed alternative frameworks that would transform our college’s curricula, hiring practices, and college initiatives. While labor-intensive and difficult, our collaboration brought us joy and energy to work toward a collective future, both within and beyond our institution. Five years later, we critically reflect on the proposal’s creation, the college’s responses, the initiatives it bore, and the still unrealized potential. We also interrogate the paradoxes of applying decolonizing principles within higher education—particularly as universities increasingly suppress free speech and protest—and explore how peace education can guide us toward more just, sustainable, and decolonized futures.

Since the COVID-19 epidemic triggered a drastic shift in the teaching paradigm, many colleges and universities have accelerated the pace of digital transformation. Although the current research on digital leadership in education has made some progress, there is still a lack of research focusing on college teachers, especially in the construction of theoretical frameworks and summarization of practice mechanisms. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically review the existing research results, clarify the core components of teachers' digital leadership, and propose a future-oriented research path and practice framework. This study adopts a systematic literature review method, following the PRISMA process, to screen key publications on teachers' digital leadership in higher education between 2020 and 2025. The review extracts the theoretical foundations, research themes, and major findings from the selected literature. Based on this, this paper constructs a comprehensive framework for analyzing “teachers' digital leadership”, covering its definition, functioning mechanism and influence path. The framework not only provides theoretical support for future empirical research, but also provides reference for policy formulation and practice innovation in the construction of teacher digital leadership in universities, filling the key gaps in the existing literature.

The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into higher education globally has exposed a significant barrier to adoption, particularly AI anxiety among faculty and administrators. While this phenomenon is recognized, its manifestations and drivers in resource-constrained contexts like Ghana remain critically underexplored. Nonetheless, with a literature bias towards Western, individual-centric models. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic review of literature from 2019 onwards to investigate the nature of AI anxiety within Ghana's tertiary education sector. The findings reveal that anxiety is not primarily a symptom of individual technophobia but a rational response to a profound institutional void, a lack of clear policies, ethical guidelines, and reliable support infrastructure. Consequently, the study posits that prevailing models like the Technology Acceptance Model are insufficient for this context. The primary achievement of this research is the development of a novel Dual-Layered Competency Framework, which argues that sustainable AI integration requires the symbiotic development of institutional competencies (policy, infrastructure) and individual competencies (AI literacy, ethics). This reframing shifts the focus from remediating individual anxiety to building institutional resilience. The new knowledge created underscores that effective integration is a function of institutional readiness. For policymakers and university leadership, this implies that resource allocation must be strategically directed towards strengthening institutional governance and support systems as a prerequisite to, and enabler of, meaningful staff development. The study concludes that a holistic, institution-first approach is essential for mitigating anxiety and harnessing AI’s potential for academic advancement in Ghana and similar contexts.

This research explores how university leaders employ transformational styles of Islamic leadership and migration ethics, and how such leaders in Islamic higher education navigate crisis. Using qualitative methods and a case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four strategic leaders from private universities in the Greater Jakarta Area. The findings demonstrate the emergence of "Digital Maslahah", a conception in which technology is used (though not only for operational efficiency) to sustain the ummah. In theory, this study proposes a new communication leadership theory that seeks to resolve the paradox of high-tech "digital infrastructure" and high-touch "humanist touch". This study proposes that the ability to convert and actualize the spiritual dimension of a leader to Miranda's adaptive digital policies is the essential core of Islamic higher education.

Purpose: This research explores the impact of women’s transformational leadership on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policies within higher education in the UK. Despite significant advancements in gender equity, the specific role of women leaders in shaping EDI policies has not been thoroughly investigated. Women remain underrepresented in senior academic leadership positions due to structural inequalities and cultural biases that prioritize male leadership. This study seeks to understand whether women leaders, through transformational leadership, can influence the development and implementation of EDI initiatives, fostering a more inclusive academic environment. Methodology: A meta-synthesis was conducted as part of a systematic review (6 tight-focussed articles) and meta-analysis (56 wider articles), following PRISMA guidelines, to examine the relationship between women’s leadership and EDI policies in higher education. The study synthesized evidence from diverse sources, evaluating the quality of included studies. The central research question was: Are women leaders and their leadership styles actively promoting EDI? The analysis integrates findings to assess the impact of women’s transformational leadership on advancing EDI initiatives, highlighting successes, challenges, and areas needing further exploration. Findings: The study reveals that women leaders who adopt transformational leadership styles significantly influence EDI policy development, aligning policies with institutional values and fostering inclusive academic environments. However, few women are afforded the opportunity to assume leadership roles, limiting the broader impact of such leadership. Institutions led by committed women leaders are more likely to implement comprehensive EDI strategies, affecting recruitment, promotion, and retention practices. Strong leadership correlates with robust EDI policies, enhancing staff and student outcomes. Faculty and students who perceive leaders as champions of diversity report higher engagement, greater job satisfaction, and improved collaboration and innovation. Originality/Theoretical Contribution: This research addresses a gap in the literature by linking women’s transformational leadership to EDI policy development in higher education – a relationship that has not been explicitly explored. The study contributes theoretically by demonstrating how leadership styles can shape institutional culture and policy implementation, providing a nuanced understanding of gender, leadership, and organizational change within academic contexts. Practical Implications: Findings offer actionable insights for university leaders and administrators: promoting women into senior roles can enhance the development and implementation of EDI policies. Leadership development programmes that foster transformational leadership among female academics could help institutions create more inclusive, equitable environments. Societal/Policy Implications: Women in transformational leadership positions can contribute to a fairer society by influencing institutional practices that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. Policy interventions should focus on increasing women’s representation in executive and senior roles, ensuring EDI policies leverage women’s leadership potential. Broader societal benefits include enhanced organizational performance, improved workplace culture, and stronger support for historically marginalized groups. Limitations: This study is limited by the scarcity of research specifically addressing women’s leadership in higher education. Leadership in academia remains underexplored, particularly concerning the barriers female academics face and how they navigate systemic power dynamics. Additionally, while PRISMA meta-synthesis provides a structured approach, it may exclude studies using unconventional methodologies and risk oversimplifying complex phenomena. Despite these limitations, the approach highlights gaps and underexplored areas, paving the way for future interdisciplinary research.

Purpose Residencies, defined as year-long internship experiences for prospective teachers with embedded coaching and mentoring opportunities, hold promise as pathways that can reduce longstanding racial and cultural inequities in K-12 education systems. Design/methodology/approach While case studies of successful residency programs exist, the literature is missing narratives of university leadership and faculty designing the institutional changes required for creating and sustaining these community-engaged partnerships. This narrative inquiry study, which relied on a theoretical framework of boundary spanning, involved two faculty members exploring the history of one residency program in which they both work. Findings Findings indicate that this residency program was shaped by directly challenging the pretense of faculty who claim to hold commitments to equity but do not enact community-engaged work that could lead to more equitable outcomes for students. Moreover, findings show that ongoing intensity of interest in teacher preparation on the part of leadership, clarity of focus, and celebration of evidence-based progress were key facets of support. Originality/value Reflection on these narratives reveals how higher education norms can be reconfigured to support residency programs.

This research aims to understand how Muhammadiyah's Islamic economic thought is implemented in economic management at Muhammadiyah universities, specifically at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) and Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar (Unismuh). This study is motivated by Muhammadiyah's commitment to building an economic system that is just and based on Islamic values, as well as the important role of universities as centers for the development of Islamic economic thought and practice. Using a qualitative multi‑case study design, data were collected through in‑depth interviews with 12 informants, consisting of university leaders, directors of business units, lecturers, and Muhammadiyah council representatives. Data analysis followed an inductive thematic approach supported by coding, categorization, and cross‑case comparison, while validity was ensured through triangulation of sources and member checking. The research findings conclude that the implementation of Muhammadiyah's Islamic economic thought in both universities is reflected in three main aspects: (1) institutional policies oriented toward the values of justice and economic independence, (2) integration of Islamic economic values into the curriculum and academic activities, and (3) development of campus-based Islamic business units as a form of equitable economic practice. Despite differences in local context, both universities show similarities in the spirit of Muhammadiyah economic da'wah, which emphasizes ethics, justice, and social welfare. This research contributes to enriching the discourse on the application of Muhammadiyah Islamic economic thought in Islamic higher education and provides recommendations for strengthening the institutionalization of Islamic economics in Muhammadiyah universities in Indonesia.

The intensifying competition in the global higher education market has compelled higher education institutions to move beyond traditional promotional practices and adopt integrated marketing strategies that address credibility, differentiation, and stakeholder expectations. This study aims to examine how integrated marketing strategies, combining the traditional marketing mix with public trust and strategic partnerships, contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of higher education institutions. The research employed a mixed-methods design using survey data collected from 146 respondents, including students, parents, and administrative staff from higher education institutions in the Bukhara region. The data were analyzed systematically through SWOT and STEPLED frameworks to capture internal capabilities and external environmental dynamics influencing institutional competitiveness. The findings demonstrate that integrated marketing strategies significantly strengthen institutional competitiveness by improving brand image, reinforcing public trust, and supporting sustainable strategic positioning. Digital marketing adoption, alumni engagement, and inter-institutional partnerships emerged as key drivers of competitive advantage, while limitations in professional marketing capacity and financial resources remained critical challenges. The novelty of this study lies in empirically integrating public trust and strategic partnerships into the classical marketing mix within a unified analytical model tailored to a transitional higher education context. The results provide theoretical contributions to higher education marketing literature and offer practical and policy-relevant implications for university leaders seeking to design evidence-based, sustainable marketing strategies that enhance competitiveness in both regional and international higher education markets.Keywords : Integrated Higher Education Marketing, Institutional Competitiveness, Public Trust Governance, Strategic University Partnerships, Institutional Brand ReputationHighlight : Integrated marketing, public trust, and partnerships jointly strengthen higher education institutional competitiveness. Brand image and public trust directly shape stakeholder perceptions and student choice decisions. Digital marketing adoption and strategic partnerships consistently improve institutional positioning in competitive education markets.

Purpose To improve leadership development in informal collegiate leadership learning environments, this study explores how student affairs professionals perceive the importance of and their proficiency in 55 previously identified required student affairs leadership educator professional competencies. Design/methodology/approach The Borich needs assessment model was used to measure the differences between the perceived importance of, and the professionals' knowledge of, ability to perform and ability to teach each of the 55 competencies. Findings The present research highlights a critical need to reexamine student affairs preparatory programs' ability to prepare effective leadership educators and thereby prepare the next generation of leaders, as more students engage in leadership development in informal rather than formal collegiate educational settings. Although 49 of the 55 competencies were deemed important by participants, significant discrepancies emerged between importance and proficiency. Knowledge proficiency gaps were most frequent, but teaching proficiency gaps had the largest magnitude and thus should be the focus of future interventions and research. Originality/value If higher education institutions are serious about developing the next generation of leaders and active citizens and improving students' leadership learning at their institutions, then it is imperative to reexamine how student affairs practitioners are prepared to be leadership educators and invest the additional resources in their staff.