Presentation Schedule
Leading the Future of Education: A Comparative Study of Foresight Leadership Among Superintendents in South Korea and Taiwan (109190)
Session Chair: Christina Grant
Tuesday, 16 June 2026 14:20
Session: Session 2
Room: Room 106 (1F)
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation
Educational leaders must demonstrate foresight to guide long-term policy and adapt to complex changes. Local superintendents are crucial, shaping both policy and school practice. In East Asia, both South Korea and Taiwan face similar challenges: declining birth rates, educational inequality, and rising international competition. However, their methods of choosing education leaders differ. South Korea uses direct elections for superintendents, while Taiwan appoints bureau directors via local executives. These institutional contrasts prompt key questions about how foresight leadership operates and governance structures influence educational reform. The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) to examine the institutional contexts shaping foresight leadership among local education superintendents in South Korea and Taiwan, (2) to analyze how these leaders demonstrate foresight in educational policy planning and implementation, and (3) to compare similarities and differences in their leadership practices and derive policy implications. This study uses a comparative education approach that integrates literature analysis with semi-structured interviews of education superintendents, policy experts, and scholars in both countries. The research team analyzed data through thematic coding and cross-national comparison, using foresight leadership theory and the RAND foresight analytical framework as a guide. The findings show that Korea’s elected superintendents enjoy greater democratic legitimacy and policy autonomy, which helps them drive innovative reforms, such as curriculum innovation and AI-based education initiatives. In contrast, Taiwan’s appointed education directors prioritize administrative coordination and intergovernmental collaboration, which demonstrates a more bureaucratic governance structure. This study shows that effective foresight leadership needs both institutional frameworks and collaborative networks. The findings inform policies to strengthen long-term educational governance and leadership in East Asia.
Authors:
Yueh-Chun Huang, National Chiayi University, Taiwan
Rujer Wang, National Taichung University of Education, Taiwan
About the Presenter(s)
Professor Yueh-Chun Huang is a at National Chiayi University in Taiwan
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