Phenomenology of Cultural Leadership in Universities and Higher Education Centers

The purpose of this study is to identify what cultural leadership is in universities and higher education centers and to identify its dimensions.

The method of the present study was qualitative and phenomenological. To achieve the purpose of the research, the existing literature including the history, definitions, contexts and dimensions of cultural leadership were studied. Then, using these studies and performing the phenomenological suspension process and setting the interview protocol, in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 experts of the agency and then the data were coded using the content analysis method.

After conducting interviews and implementing texts, out of 66 concepts, 19 initial codes were extracted as basic themes. In the next step, by categorizing the initial codes, 6 organizing themes were obtained.

The final result of the research was to identify the dimensions of cultural leadership in universities, which are: structural, shelter, discourse, communication, support, and transformation and innovation.