Exploring psychological factors influencing emerging leadership in higher education management: A comparative study

Leadership in higher education institutions (HEIs) plays a crucial role in addressing the challenges and opportunities brought about by globalization and technological integration while ensuring quality education. This study examines the factors contributing to the development of leadership in the higher education management systems of Pakistan and Bangladesh. The participants consisted of university faculty members, and data were collected online via Google Forms from 218 respondents selected through multi-method and multi-stage sampling techniques. The findings indicate that community building and vision are the predominant leadership traits in higher education leaders from both countries. Pakistani leaders demonstrated higher levels of vision, resource utilization, and community-building skills compared to their Bangladeshi counterparts. A strong and significant correlation was observed between leaders’ vision and their ability to implement policies and plans. Additionally, the analysis revealed that leaders’ community-building skills partially mediate the relationship between resource utilization and teacher empowerment. Based on these findings, it is recommended that HEIs in both countries prioritize the promotion of community building and visionary leadership and integrate these qualities into student development. Furthermore, leadership development programs should be designed and implemented to align with national needs, emphasizing vision-driven policy implementation and community-building initiatives to enhance teacher empowerment.