Stoll, Louise; Robinson, Liz; (2025) Transforming Leadership Learning: Designing for Sustainable, Systemic Change: A Research Paper. UCL Centre for Educational Leadership: London, UK.

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Abstract

Introduction: Powerful leadership learning is fundamental to creating the kinds of schools and educational environments where students, educators, and communities can thrive. In an era of compounding global challenges and increasing educational complexity, school leadership must evolve to prepare learners not just for today, but for an uncertain future. Yet, many leadership development programmes remain transactional, overly technical, and detached from the realities of leading deep, sustained change. This research paper presents findings from a cross-case analysis of five innovative leadership development initiatives from England, Canada, Austria, New Zealand, and the health sector in England. These programmes share a commitment to transformative, sustainable leadership learning and offer valuable insights for designing future-ready leadership learning. / Methodology: We undertook a purposive cross-case analysis of five initiatives: the Big Leadership Education Programme (England), the Transformative Educational Leadership Program (Canada), the Austrian Leadership Academy, the National Aspiring Principals’ Program (New Zealand), and the Darzi Fellowships in Clinical Leadership (England). Evaluation methods included document analysis, interviews, participant surveys, direct observation, and analysis of internal evaluation data. Our goal was to understand design intentions, impacts, and the learning processes that support sustainable change. We supplemented these findings with further relevant international examples and important emerging themes. / The five initiatives: Each programme and associated activity was designed by a combination of policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and NGOs. While some are ongoing and others concluded, all share an intentional departure from traditional models. The design of each was intentionally, in form, content and structure, oriented towards developing leaders capable of shaping whole-system change. / Impact: Evaluations reveal substantial impact: paradigm shifts in leaders’ thinking, increased authenticity and self-efficacy, and innovative practice across schools and systems. Participants frequently initiated bold, future- and equity-focused changes in pedagogy, curriculum, and culture. Alumni often exerted broader influence, contributing to wider systemic reform.

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