An Analysis of the Instructional Leadership Model at an Institution of Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Leadership remains key to the successful delivery of instruction. The impact of the global economy and the digitalization of higher education continue to level the playing field for institutions of higher education as the competition for enrollment increases. Universities in the United Arab Emirates are not isolated from these changes as many are determined to emulate models of accepted academic leadership and shared governance in order to obtain institutional and programmatic accreditations from outside the region. This research examined the development, implementation and findings associated with the assessment of one institution's instructional servant leadership model. The study employed factor analysis (dimension reduction) techniques to identify the underlying components driving responses to an employee questionnaire designed to measure the fundamental aspects of servant leadership. The results identified two major driving forces: (1) a holistic overview of the leadership style and (2) the soft skills associated with intrapersonal interaction. The research reminds leaders of the need to comprehend the power of any or all decisions to distract their followers and of the need to cultivate strong interpersonal skills such as communication and respect for others.