Exploring the role of leadership in facilitating higher education internationalization in Japan: a mixed methods study

ABSTRACTAmid stiff competition in the burgeoning East Asian higher education market, Japan has implemented a series of internationalization initiatives to buoy its floundering HE sector. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to explore Japanese and non-Japanese faculty and leaders’ views of effective leadership and its role in internationalization processes. Utilizing Bass’s full range leadership model, this study first elicited faculty and leaders’ (n = 162) views on three leadership constructs (transformational, transactional, and passive avoidant) using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The results of the MLQ informed semi-structured interviews with five Japanese and five non-Japanese (n = 10) faculty and leaders, exploring their views regarding effective leadership and its role in internationalizing their institutions. The results suggest that while both groups identify transformational leadership as most effective, there is a significant difference in terms of how they perceive its efficacy. The qualitative analysis offered further insight into how cultural norms affect leadership in Japanese universities and offered ideas regarding how leaders can more effectively integrate non-Japanese faculty and develop cohesive, diverse faculty units. The results suggest the high degree to which leadership affects the readiness of Japanese institutions to adapt to an increasingly transnational landscape. Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Availability of data and materialAll data has been retained by the author on a secure, external hard drive.Code availabilityNVivo.Ethics approvalUniversity of Calgary’s Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board (ethics ID: REB19–1527).Consent to participateYour signature on this form indicates that 1) you understand to your satisfaction the information provided to you about your participation in this research project, and 2) you agree to participate in the research project.In no way does this waive your legal rights nor release the investigators, sponsors, or involved institutions from their legal and professional responsibilities. You are free to withdraw from this research project at any time. You should feel free to ask for clarification or new information throughout your participation.Consent for publicationAs with above.Additional informationFundingPartial financial support was received from Kwansei Gakuin University.Notes on contributorsBradley D. F. ColpittsBradley D. F. Colpitts is an educational researcher and instructor with more than 15 years of teaching experience. He holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership and a master’s of education in TESOL from the University of Calgary, Canada, and his research interests meet at the nexus of these two disciplines