Name: Venkatesha T.K
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume No: 12, Issue No: 2, Year: 2025 (Special Issue-2)
Page Number: 277-284
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17732640

ABSTRACT:
The global higher education sector is experiencing unprecedented transformation driven by
digital innovation, demographic shifts, geopolitical uncertainty, and increasing demands for
accountability and relevance. These pressures are expected to intensify by 2035,
fundamentally altering how institutions define and sustain educational quality. This study
examines the emerging leadership challenges facing higher education institutions (HEIs) in
the context of preparing for 2035, with a particular focus on quality assurance across
academic, administrative, and strategic domains.
Adopting a qualitative exploratory approach, the research integrates scenario planning and
expert interviews with higher education leaders, policymakers, and quality assurance
professionals across diverse global regions. The study identifies key trends—including
artificial intelligence integration, the rise of micro-credentials, climate responsiveness, and
inclusive governance—that are reshaping institutional quality expectations. It further
highlights the limitations of traditional leadership and accreditation models in responding to
these future-oriented demands.
The research contributes to the growing discourse on higher education reform by bridging the
gap between leadership theory and quality assurance practice. It offers actionable insights for
leadership development, policy innovation, and institutional capacity building to navigate the
complex futures of higher education.
Keywords:
Higher Education Leadership; Quality Assurance; Transformational Leadership; Strategic
Foresight; 2035; Educational Innovation; Institutional Change; Accreditation; Global Trends