EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP IN CHINESE VOCATIONAL COLLEGESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

บทคัดย่อ

The 21st century marks a critical phase in China's transition toward high-quality development in higher vocational education. Academic leadership has become increasingly essential in driving institutional governance, faculty development, and research innovation. This study aimed to 1) identify the practical dilemmas and observable deficiencies of academic leadership, 2) explore its core functions and developmental needs, and 3) construct a strategic model and propose improvement pathways for middle-level administrators in vocational colleges. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The sample comprised 18 deans and associate deans from nine secondary colleges, 20 administrative leaders from the Academic Affairs and Human Resources Offices, and 450 faculty representatives at Jiangxi Environmental Engineering Vocational College. Research tools included a five-dimensional self-developed leadership scale and a thematic interview guide. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were conducted using SPSS, and qualitative data were analyzed via Nvivo. The results revealed that: (1) “research project interpretation” and “organizational coordination and communication” are the most urgently needed competency areas; (2) “teacher development support” and “academic guidance” represent moderate needs; and (3) “value-oriented culture construction” showed a relatively strong foundation but still requires systematic improvement. The interview themes further corroborated these quantitative trends. Based on the findings, six strategic recommendations are proposed to support the localized development of academic leadership in China’s vocational colleges. These include promoting value-oriented cultural leadership, enhancing faculty development, improving institutional governance, fostering cross-functional collaboration, strengthening research capacity, and adopting data-informed and inclusive leadership models. The findings also highlight the necessity of reinforcing not only top-down leadership structures but also bottom-up mechanisms that empower frontline educators.