Educational Policy and Leadership for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Anhui Xinhua University
Keywords:
Sustainable development, Educational policy, Leadership, Higher education, Anhui Xinhua University, ChinaAbstract
Educational policy and leadership play a critical role in advancing sustainable development within higher education institutions. This study examines the interaction between policy implementation and institutional leadership through a qualitative case study of Anhui Xinhua University (AXHU), a representative private university in Anhui Province, China. Anchored in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligned with China’s Double First-Class initiative and Education Modernization 2035 plan, the study adopts a qualitative research approach, employing document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and comparative institutional review. The findings reveal that value-oriented leadership, inclusive governance mechanisms, and localized policy adaptation significantly enhance institutional sustainability across governance structures, curriculum design, and organizational culture. By focusing on a regional private university, this study addresses a gap in the literature that has traditionally prioritized elite public institutions. The research contributes empirical insights into sustainability-oriented leadership in China’s private higher education sector and provides policy-relevant implications for regional institutional development.
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