In this webinar, Dr Nidal Al Haj Sleiman explores contemporary learning-centred leadership in international schools in Qatar and the United Kingdom.

Dr Nidal Al Haj Sleiman discusses the practice and development of principals as learning-centred leaders, as well as their impact on the social capital of individuals and groups within the school. The topic is approached through a framework of Bourdieu’s social theory and his concepts: habitus, field, capital, and agency. Thus, critically viewing and analysing leadership and context as well as their interrelationship.

She presents the investigation into the impact of learning-centred leadership on the social capital of groups and individuals within the school, thus viewing leadership as a social transformation activity.

The purpose of the study was to find out how principalship is perceived and practiced in international schools’ context, and how the interplay of agency and structure influences practice and leadership development across the school. For this purpose, the research used a multiple case study design that incorporated mixed-methods including online surveys, semi-structured in-depth interviews, interactive focus groups, observation, and document review.

The data collected was analysed to understand the depth of principals’ practice and to examine how they interact with their context to develop leadership and influence social capital by leading a pedagogically and a socially focused learning-centred approach.