The relationship between university leadership styles and the development of an institutional quality assurance (QA)
culture has become a central issue in higher education management. Although external accreditation frameworks establish compliance
standards, internal quality culture, defined by shared values, continuous improvement practices, and faculty ownership of quality, is
widely regarded as a more meaningful determinant of sustainable institutional excellence.
This paper synthesizes empirical evidence from large-sample studies conducted across diverse geographical contexts in 2016-
2025. The analysis incorporates quantitative survey data, structural equation modelling results, and qualitative case studies from
universities in Portugal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, and Central Asia. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire
(MLQ-5X) framework is used as the main analytical approach, distinguishing transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant
leadership styles.
The findings consistently indicate that transformational leadership is the strongest predictor of a positive QA culture. In particular,
a 2025 study involving 984 academics from 97 Portuguese higher education institutions identified management support and institutional
leadership as the strongest determinants of QA system effectiveness (β = 0.62, p < 0.001). Transactional leadership may ensure shortterm
compliance; however, it does not sufficiently promote intrinsic faculty engagement. Passive-avoidant leadership may slow down
the development of institutional QA processes.
The study concludes that universities seeking to develop genuine quality cultures rather than mere compliance-oriented systems
require leaders who inspire, motivate, and engage academic staff rather than simply impose formal requirements. Therefore, leadership
development programs aligned with QA objectives should be considered a critical but still underinvested institutional intervention.
Publication Date: 2026-06-01