Citizen responsibility: construction of educational leadership in public university institutions of Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: Educational leadership in the university setting encompasses effective management toward achieving objectives and improving academic processes through building civic engagement and developing effective leadership within university institutions. Proper management of educational leadership has a significant impact, leading to improved educational quality and fostering innovation through research, new knowledge, and the development and application of new methodologies. The objective of this research was to diagnose the impact of educational leadership on building civic responsibility in public university institutions in relation to the core processes of teaching, research, and outreach. Materials and methods: The research was categorized as both qualitative and quantitative, employing non-probability convenience sampling. Thirty-one active faculty members (20 from ULEAM, 5 from ESPAM, and 6 from UTM) and 149 students (39 from ULEAM, 53 from ESPAM MFL, and 57 from UTM) were selected. A Likert-type questionnaire was administered, and the data were analyzed using SPSS v.26 software with Friedman, Tukey, and Interclass Correlation Coefficient tests. Results: The data reflect a positive trend in the perception of educational leadership: 83.9% of faculty and 82.6% of students agree with a clear and shared vision of leadership for academic development; 77.4% of faculty and 81.9% of students recognize its contribution to continuous professional development; and 90.3% of faculty and 82.6% of students value its contribution to substantive processes. The analysis of variance showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in both groups, and the ICC showed moderate to high agreement (0.673–0.949 for faculty; 0.687–0.952 for students). Discussion: The results align with previous research indicating that educational leadership is fundamental for improving educational institutions, energizing management, and promoting professional development. The presence of leadership in organizations demonstrates the establishment of clear objectives and their understanding by each member. Aspects such as effective communication, teamwork, and continuous research strengthen the educational institution. Conclusions: It is concluded that there is a positive trend in the perception of educational leadership in public universities, both among faculty and students. Experts support the idea of responsible educational leadership as a fundamental axis in university management and its processes. The need to improve communication and clarification regarding the importance of educational leadership is identified, as well as the advisability of using average measures to reduce variability and obtain more stable estimates of the characteristics or behaviors of interest in future research.