THE APPLICATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP IN CHINESE UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

The rapid advancement of digital technologies and the increasing complexity of higher education governance have significantly transformed the roles and responsibilities of administrative leadership in universities. Administrative leadership is no longer confined to routine management and institutional administration; instead, it has become a strategic force for promoting organizational effectiveness, institutional innovation, and sustainable development. This paper examines the application of administrative leadership in universities through a comprehensive review of contemporary educational leadership literature. First, the paper clarifies the concept and characteristics of administrative leadership within the context of higher education. Second, it discusses the theoretical foundations underpinning administrative leadership, including Distributed Leadership Theory, Transformational Leadership Theory, and New Public Management Theory. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the application of administrative leadership in three major areas: enhancing university governance efficiency, facilitating digital transformation, and promoting organizational innovation and sustainable development. The analysis demonstrates that effective administrative leadership strengthens institutional coordination, improves decision-making quality, supports digital governance, and cultivates adaptive organizational cultures capable of responding to rapidly changing educational environments. The paper concludes that universities should continuously strengthen administrative leaders' strategic thinking, digital competencies, collaborative leadership, and evidence-based decision-making abilities to achieve sustainable institutional development in the digital era.