FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING APPROACH FOR THAI UNDERGRADUATES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/aisr.2025.37Keywords:
Sustainable Leadership, Transformative Learning, Higher Education, Quasi-Experimental Design, Curriculum DevelopmentAbstract
In an era where global challenges demand ethical and resilient decision-makers, higher education institutions bear the responsibility of cultivating sustainable leadership competencies. This study evaluates the efficacy of a novel training program designed to foster sustainable leadership attributes among undergraduate students in Bangkok, Thailand. Theoretically grounded in Transformative Learning Theory, the intervention integrates six contemporary leadership models through a structured process involving disorienting dilemmas, critical reflection, and meaning transformation. Employing a rigorous quasi-experimental design, the research involved 40 participants, equally divided into experimental and control groups. Quantitative data were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA to capture longitudinal developmental changes. The empirical results reveal that the experimental group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in key leadership dimensions compared to the control group, confirming the program's effectiveness. Specifically, the transformative approach successfully enhanced participants' self-awareness, ethical reasoning, and social responsibility. These findings validate the utility of experiential and reflective pedagogies in bridging the gap between theoretical leadership concepts and practical application. Consequently, this study offers an evidence-based framework for educators and policymakers aiming to embed sustainable leadership into university curricula, aligning higher education outcomes with global sustainability goals.
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