Reconstructing academic supervision in higher education: The role of lecturers' transformational leadership in fostering student autonomous learning and academic achievement
Abstract
Purpose – Academic supervision in higher education has often focused on administrative monitoring and procedural compliance, limiting its role in fostering students' independent learning and academic development. This study explores how lecturers' transformational leadership reconstructs academic supervision to strengthen students' self-directed learning and improve academic achievement.
Method – This study employed a qualitative approach with a thematic case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 students from the Economics Education Study Program at Universitas Jabal Ghafur (Unigha), Aceh, selected using purposive sampling. The data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding to identify key themes.
Findings – The findings indicate that lecturers' transformational leadership is reflected in role modeling, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and constructive academic feedback. These practices transform academic supervision from an administrative activity into a developmental process that encourages students to set learning goals, manage their learning independently, seek academic resources, conduct self-evaluation, and enhance their academic performance. The study proposes a conceptual model in which lecturers' transformational leadership fosters transformative academic supervision, strengthens students' self-directed learning, and ultimately improves academic achievement in higher education.
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References
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