Reframing Leadership for School Improvement. Roles, Relationships, and Responsibilities in a Demanding World

School improvement and related school improvement research have been part of the educational landscape for decades. A rich body of research has shaped how we understand what school improvement is and what role leadership plays in it. In recent years, however, there has been a growing call to rethink and reframe school improvement and leadership in light of new educational, societal, and global challenges.

Whereas earlier approaches concentrated on student performance indicators, there is now a growing emphasis on well-being, motivation, and socio-emotional development. These broader goals require new strategies and a more comprehensive understanding of what it means for a school to improve. Moreover, school improvement has increasingly come to be understood as a relational practice. It is shaped by the quality of relationships within schools and between schools and their communities. Trust, collaboration, and the ability to navigate tensions and resistance to change play a decisive role in determining whether improvement processes succeed or falter. As a result, the roles and responsibilities of those involved in school improvement are being redefined, and informal leadership, shared responsibility, participatory structures, and collective learning are gaining in significance, especially in organizational settings that emphasize collaboration over hierarchy. Against this background, context has proven to be a crucial factor in shaping what school improvement looks like in practice. International research has shown that ideas and strategies developed in one educational context do not necessarily transfer to another. Differences in governance structures, school autonomy, accountability systems, resources, and cultural norms all influence the conditions under which school improvement efforts can unfold.

Moreover, the broader societal environment has changed, placing new demands on schools and school leaders. Children and young people are growing up in the midst of multiple, overlapping crises, ranging from climate change, war, and social polarization to technological disruption and threats to democratic values. These experiences shape how they understand the world, what aspirations they develop, and what they consider meaningful both inside and outside of school. Schools cannot remain unaffected by these shifts; they must respond in ways that acknowledge and engage with young people’s changing perspectives, needs, and priorities. These developments are reshaping expectations regarding the purpose of schooling and the responsibilities of those who lead and support school improvement.

Taken together, these developments underline why the reframing of school improvement is necessary. In this conference, we want to address these issues, examine their implications for research and practice, and explore how roles, relationships, and responsibilities are changing in schools around the world.

Rethinking Roles in Complex Systems

The conference will explore how leadership is evolving in increasingly complex education systems. Beyond formal authority, leaders act as instructional and system leaders, balance local and global demands, and work within flat hierarchies. We will examine role fluidity, hybrid responsibilities, and new forms of shared leadership in multi-level education systems.

School Improvement as Relational Practice

A key focus of the conference is understanding school improvement as a relational process. Shared goals, trust, and collaboration shape meaningful change, especially in polarized contexts. We aim to examine collaboration in the midst of diversity, shared sensemaking, and how relational resilience enables schools to sustain improvement during periods of disruption and uncertainty.

Responsibilities in an Era of Heightened Expectation

The conference will also address growing moral and ethical responsibilities in school leadership. Equity, inclusion, and justice must be advanced in settings under intense public scrutiny. Attention will be given to navigating complex policy environments while ensuring the well-being of students, staff, and leaders as a core improvement dimension.

School Improvement Across System Variations

Comparing school improvement across educational systems is another key theme. Governance models, system structures, and cultural norms influence leadership approaches. By examining school improvement across different contexts, we want to discuss how leadership ideas travel and adapt, and what can be learned from transnational collaboration.

Adaptive and Futures-Oriented School Improvement

Looking ahead, the conference will focus on future disruptions such as AI, climate change, wars, neo-conservatism, and migration. Anticipatory strategies and organizing for resilience can help schools act proactively. We aim to discuss how innovation can be led responsibly while safeguarding educational values in uncertain and rapidly changing environments.

Proposals can be submitted via Conftool beginning January 10, 2026, through February 15, 2026.

The main event is the Bi-Annual Conference of the Subdivision for Policy and Educational Law (German: Kommision Bildungsorganisation, Bildungsplanung, Bildungsrecht, KBBB). KBBB is one of two divisions in Section 4 (Empirical Education Research) of the German Educa­tional Research Association (GERA).

The KBBB positions itself as a multi-professional commission where school improvement research and educational administration come together to collabo­ra­tively address relevant issues. Its board is composed of members from both research and education administration, and the KBBB conferences are open to contributions from research and practice. While the KBBB is a relatively small subdivision of GERA, it is the most important scholarly association for school improvement research in Germany, as shown by the topics of the last conferences, such as knowledge transfer and policy borrowing.

The ELN is one of several thematic networks within the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI), and it serves as a dynamic platform for those interested in educational leadership across diverse contexts. Like the KBBB in Germany, the ELN positions itself as a multi-professional and international community where leadership research, policy development, and educational practice intersect. Its activities are designed to promote knowledge exchange, collaborative inquiry, and professional learning. The network is open to all ICSEI members and beyond, welcoming contributions from scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike. The ELN plays a vital role in shaping global conversations about educational leadership. Its initiatives, such as annual mini-conferences, webinars, social media chats (#ICSEIEdLead), and journal special issues, reflect its commitment to advancing leadership knowledge and practice. The network’s emphasis on collaboration and dialogue makes it a key space for exploring leadership and school effectiveness and improvement as a shared and evolving endeavor.

The city of Dortmund is not only famous for its football club but is also located in the Ruhr area, a region of Germany that has undergone profound structural change in recent decades due to the decline of the coal and steel industries. This transformation has also affected the education system, making the region a particularly interesting case for school improvement both in terms of uncertainty and regarding the system’s capacity for re-inventing and transforming itself in the context of an increasingly demanding world.

TU Dortmund University can moreover be considered the birthplace of school improve­ment research in Germany in the 1970s. Models for school improvement devel­oped here, for instance by H. G. Rolff, have had a lasting impact on the field. Conse­quently, educational research continues to hold significant importance for the university, despite its profile as a Technical University.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 (previous to conference)
Time tba
• School Visits

Thursday, September 10, 2026
9:00 – 17:30
• Conference

17:30 – 18:30
• General Meeting KBBB (KBBB members only)

19:00 – open
• Conference Dinner

Friday, September 11, 2026
9:00 – 16:00
• Conference

Proposals can be submitted in English and German for the following formats. Please refer to the call for proposals for requirements for each format.

Symposium

A symposium offers an opportunity to present three to four papers that address a common, clearly defined topic. The symposium may focus on research, practice, or a combination of both. The theme of the symposium must show a clear connection to the conference theme. The total duration of a symposium is 90 minutes, and it must include a minimum of three and a maximum of four presentations and a discussant.

Paper Session

A paper session offers an opportunity to present three to four papers that address a common, clearly defined topic. The session may focus on research, practice, or a combination of both. In contrast to a symposium, a paper session must not show a clear connection to the conference theme, but its relevance for school improvement or school leadership must be clearly addressed. The total duration of a paper session is 90 minutes, and it must include a minimum of three and a maximum of four presentations and a discussant.

Individual Paper

Participants may also submit proposals for an individual presentation, either research or practice. Individual papers will be sorted into Paper Sessions with three to four presentations by the conference organizers. Individual paper proposals should demonstrate a clear connection to the conference theme.

Poster

A poster offers an opportunity to present ongoing or completed research, practical projects, or innovative ideas in a visually engaging format. Posters are intended to foster discussion and exchange among participants, allowing presenters to share insights, receive feedback, and build connections around emerging or applied work. Poster proposals must not show a clear connection to the conference theme, but its relevance for school improvement or school leadership must be clearly addressed.

Innovate Session

These sessions provide an opportunity to present and engage participants in a concrete approach, method, or tool that contributes to school improvement and leadership policy and/or practice. Innovate sessions should demonstrate a clear connection to the conference theme. An Innovate Session should be interactive and participatory, offering attendees a hands-on experience that stimulates reflection and application. Each workshop will have a duration of 25 minutes and will be scheduled in sessions of three by the conference organizers.

Details about registration fees will be published here soon.

Details about housing will be published here soon.

For further information, please contact the local organizing committee:

kbbb-conference.fk12tu-dortmundde