EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATIONAL COLLEGES IN CHINA

Abstract

Vocational colleges occupy a strategic position in China’s construction of a skilled society, industrial modernization, equitable education and high‑quality development. Institutional performance depends not only on policy, finance and facilities, but also on educational leadership that translates national strategies into institutional capacity. This paper explores leadership for sustainable development of Chinese vocational colleges. It integrates educational leadership theories, international TVET perspectives, Chinese vocational education policies and existing literature on industry‑education integration, double‑qualified teachers, curriculum construction, quality assurance, digital transformation and internationalization. The analysis indicates that no single leadership model is adequate. Transformational leadership builds moral purpose for institutional change; instructional leadership safeguards teaching‑learning and practical competence; distributed leadership mobilizes industrial and professional expertise; strategic leadership matches resources with national‑regional priorities; adaptive leadership helps institutions cope with technological, demographic and labour‑market shifts. This study puts forward the LEAD‑VET Framework with seven interconnected dimensions: Legitimate mission and strategic alignment; Ecosystem partnerships and industry integration; Agile curriculum and applied learning; Development of teachers and professional capability; Value‑centered and inclusive student growth; Evidence‑informed quality governance; Technology‑enabled transformation and international engagement. The framework treats vocational college development as an ongoing cycle: diagnosis, co‑design, implementation, review and institutional learning. This paper concludes that leadership effectiveness shall be evaluated by student competence, decent employment, regional innovation, teacher growth, social inclusion and public value rather than short‑term scale expansion or isolated projects. Effective leaders build educational organizations that are grounded in teaching missions while becoming responsive, collaborative, innovative and accountable.