Promotion of Teacher Leadership in Chinese University under the Agenda of High-Quality Development ：A Case Study of a University in Nanjing
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Abstract
This study investigates the promotion of teacher leadership in the context of High-Quality Development (HQD) through an in-depth case study of a university in Nanjing. Based on qualitative data from an interview with one frontline teacher, it explores how teacher leadership emerges, is constrained, and can be enhanced at policy, organizational, and individual levels.
The findings show that teacher leadership operates across multiple dimensions, including instructional leadership in curriculum and classroom innovation, collaborative leadership in cross-disciplinary teamwork, and cultural leadership in value dissemination. In addition to these visible practices, teachers exert influence through informal channels (invisible leadership) and sustain reforms through resilience. However, policy distortions create a “policy temperature gap,” organizational structures limit decision-making power, and individual role conflicts among research, teaching, and administrative duties undermine sustainability.
To address these challenges, the study proposes multi-level strategies, such as refining assessment indicators and policy tools, institutionalizing trust and transparent resource allocation, strengthening faculty committees, and promoting data-driven reflection and project-based leadership. As an exploratory single-case study, this research seeks to enrich understanding of teacher leadership in Chinese higher education and to offer practical insights for policymakers, administrators, and teachers under the HQD agenda.
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