Research group Leadership, Improvement and Organization of Schools (SOUL)

The members of the group publish their work and contribute to the field Educational Leadership, Management and Administration nationally and internationally. One strand that ties the group together is a focus on schools rather than the school. 

The governance, organization and leadership of schools, but also school development and improvement are complex and context-dependent matters varying over time, space and place. Another unifying strand is expressed in an approach to research: the importance of navigating between habitual or taken for granted assumptions or imaginaries of school governance, organization, improvement and leadership, and the need to think and imagine anew.

The research group includes different approaches, such as theoretical, conceptual and critical imaginary research; studies of policy and reform; and different approaches to empirical research in pre-schools, schools and in the school system. One important area of research is the conditions for, characteristics of and variety of practices expressing pedagogical leadership or learning oriented leadership in pre-schools and schools. The influence of global actors, national regulations, institutional contexts and local conditions are shaping leadership practices in pre-schools and schools, and leadership is studied as an organizational and collective phenomenon and not only as a trait or capability of individuals.

The research group and its members are active in several research partnerships and networks nationally and internationally. Members of the group also offer organized support to schools, school organizers and the National Agency of Education with regard to research and school development. We meet regularly at the SOUL Seminar.