Abstract
This study examines how educational leaders in British Columbia (B.C.) certified offshore schools in China navigate cross-cultural challenges in their daily work. These schools operate at the intersection of Canadian educational standards and Chinese cultural, political, and regulatory expectations, creating complex leadership demands. Leaders must reconcile differing values, accountability structures, and institutional priorities while ensuring compliance with both jurisdictions. Understanding how they address these tensions and challenges is critical for fostering culturally responsive and ethically grounded leadership in transnational schooling. Guided by three complementary frameworks, the Social Identity Approach, Intersectional Leadership Identity, and a Critical Policy and Coloniality Lens, this research explores how leadership identity and practice interact within cross-cultural environments. Using a narrative case study design, the study will focus on 4–6 B.C. offshore schools in China. Data sources include semi-structured interviews, policy and accreditation documents, and on-site observations. Narrative and thematic analysis will illuminate how leaders interpret their experiences and how institutional conditions shape their responses. The findings will provide insight into the strategies leaders employ to manage cross-cultural challenges and the supports or policy changes they identify as necessary for strengthening culturally responsive leadership. This research contributes to leadership preparation, professional learning, and policy development in international education contexts. It also advances broader discussions on equity, cultural responsiveness, and ethical leadership.
Presenters
Frances KenstonStudent, Educational Studies, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Educational Organization and Leadership
KEYWORDS
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP, CROSS-CULTURAL CHALLENGES, OFFSHORE SCHOOLS, TRANSNATIONAL EDUCATION
