Active and Sustainable Leadership in Education: Evidence from Greece
Anna Saiti
HAROKOPIO UNIVERSITY
Dr Anna Saiti is a Professor of Management and Economics of Education, in the Department of Home Economics & Ecology, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece. Her research interests focus on the management and economics of education and in health care sector. She is the author of six books (in Greek), namely Education and Economic Development (2000), Organisation and Management in Education (2012) (co-authored by Christos Saitis), The school principal in a modern school unit (2012) (co-authored by Christos Saitis), etc. She has also published other papers in both Greek and foreign scientific Journals. She has been a reviewer for several international scientific journals. Moreover, her papers have been cited by many Greek and foreign researchers. She is the co-editor of the book entitled Building for a Sustainable Future in Education: Brick by Brick (with Professor Rosemary Papa) that was published in 2017 by Springer International Publishing. Finally, she is the co-author of the book entitled Initiation of Educators into Educational Management Secrets (with Emeritus Professor Christos Saitis) that was published in 2017 by Springer International Publishing.
Abstract
It is well known that sustainable development does not solely refer to the protection of the environment but also implies the promotion of economic and (most importantly) social development. For all three forms of... [ view full abstract ]
It is well known that sustainable development does not solely refer to the protection of the environment but also implies the promotion of economic and (most importantly) social development. For all three forms of sustainability to be achieved, constructive changes with collective actions and efforts are required. The way to enhance collective activities as well as the foundation for social substructure (i.e. the level of collectivity and teamwork) is through the education system – a system that trains students to be active participants in society and in the policy-making process.
Taking into consideration that the main aim of a school is not to focus solely on student achievement, but is rather to engage in a continuous process of understanding how strategic investments can facilitate the school’s sustainable development, then the key to success is educational leadership since it has a direct impact on sustainability and is the basis for bringing about the positive changes and knowledge-sharing required.
A sustainable leader is one that strives to maintain the improvement process, share knowledge and lead others (including their successors) to follow sustainable practices in education. Such a leader is, in a sense, a timeless leader that ensures continuity in terms of ongoing improvement and knowledge-sharing. Greece is a country that, for the last 8 years, has been trapped in a vicious downward cycle of economic decline, with severe and serious consequences for society. Given that a) the crisis is still ongoing b) it appears that the country did not have the prerequisites or the appropriate structures in key areas of the system to deal with the crisis, and c) educational leaders are leaders who act at all levels of the system, then the purpose of this paper is to investigate, through qualitative and quantitative analysis, whether or not Greek school leaders practise sustainable leadership and moreover to expand the discussion and analysis of sustainable leadership in education. While sustainability is indeed a challenge for human prosperity and for the maintenance of social ecology, this study supports the view that educational leaders are at the heart of the system
Authors
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Anna Saiti
(HAROKOPIO UNIVERSITY)
Topic Area
Completed Research
Session
S1F » Theatre Presentation (15:30 - Friday, 6th July, Windsor 1)
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