There is growing interest in the role that principals play as school leaders. Exploring how principals build their professional leadership identity is crucial to understanding their influence on school performance. A systematic review was conducted to examine how educational leaders develop their professional identity. Our objectives were: (a) to identify the factors that determine how educational leaders develop their professional identity; (b) to identify shared traits of educational leadership identity; and (c) to describe the implications that the results obtained may have for research and professional practice. A literature search on Web of Science (WOS), SCOPUS and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) yielded a total of 38 articles published in international journals. Thematic analysis was conducted using the Nvivo software package. Emerging topics include: leadership identity of school principals as the key to educational success; influence of politics and context on the construction of principals’ professional identity; race- and gender-based barriers to the development of leadership identity; and the influence of experience, training and transition on the construction of a professional leadership identity.

In recent decades, higher education has witnessed the development of a series of policies aimed at improving its quality. To this end, accountability measures have been promoted, which are having a major impact on academics. In addition, the precariousness of work in this professional sector is contributing to emphasise its consequences. In this context, early career researchers have become a highly vulnerable group, as the pretence of wanting to be part of the academic world is becoming an increasingly challenging purpose. This systematic review of the literature aims to collect and systematise the most relevant contributions on the impact that this situation has on the professional identity of young academics. To this end, a bibliographic search was carried out in four different databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Education Resources Information Center, Google Scholar), which yielded a total of 24 articles published in international journals. The results show how the political‐economic measures that currently surround higher education are contributing to the development of a new neoliberal academic subject characterised by a professional identity unconsciously subjected to the system's requirements. This identity is characterised by a prioritisation of research over teaching, by the development of unethical research practices and by their impact on health and social and family relations. Finally, the need for more studies in this line with other approaches (longitudinal) and with more general and varied samples is emphasised.

Background: In the last decade, much research attention has been paid to notions of leadership and the professional identity of school. It is widely agreed that school principals play a very important role in school improvement; international reports point to ‘school leadership’ as a key factor in education quality, and recent studies suggest that the leadership identity of principals is critical for achieving effective leadership in schools worldwide. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a thematic exploration of the literature relating to school principals and leadership identity. Design and methods: A scoping review was carried out. Two major databases were searched for papers published on this topic in the last decade. Once we had established an overview of research on this subject, we conducted a thematic analysis to identify the topical focus of research. Results: We found that the literature reflected an increasing and intensified interest in the topic of school leadership as the decade progressed. Furthermore, a range of emerging subtopics was identified. These included the relationship between school culture and professional identity in school principals; the influence of ethical and personal factors on the professional development of principals; the dilemmas of balancing education policies and personal experiences; and the relationships between gender identity, racial identity, professional experience/career, training and leadership identity. Conclusions: Several key issues emerged from the studies included in this review, such as the importance of external and internal influences in the construction of the professional identity of school principals. Some of the research suggested that school leaders felt the need to develop a new professional identity. Overall, the study indicates that school leadership and its relationship with school improvement should remain an important focus for educational research investigation.

This study consists of a systematic review of the literature; the main objective is to analyze the most recent studies on the impact of the new higher education scenario on the mental health (burnout syndrome) of academics. To this end, bibliographic search was carried out in different databases (Web of Science [WoS], Scopus, and Education Resources Information Center [ERIC]), which yielded a total of twenty-one documents. Recent changes in higher education have had an impact on the professional activity of university teachers, especially affecting their mental health. The main findings include the important impact of evaluations and teaching and research work on stress levels; the innumerable consequences that burnout syndrome has on teaching staff; and the existence of individual and social variables that influence stress levels. In this last sense, being a woman increases stress levels while a good relationship with the closest social context (work group, colleagues, etc.) decreases them. Finally, future lines of research are highlighted, including the development of more studies from a qualitative approach and from the critical paradigm, as well as more research to better understand the impact that the closest social context generates in teachers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted profound changes in Higher Education. Thus, policymakers in different national contexts worldwide needed to design alternative responses to deal with new educational scenarios. In Spain, rethinking educational management in Higher Education remains an issue of current debate. Methodological readjustments towards virtual teaching, the digital divide due to socio-economic and cultural issues of the students, unequal access to education, or a decrease in internationalization have been some of the most significant adversities faced during this time. Amid this crisis, the measures taken by political leaders and university managers played an essential role. This study aims to provide an overview of the policy measures developed during this period, describing some of the most important decisions taken by different universities in Spain. To this end, an exploration based on secondary data from extensive literature reviews is carried out to construct a descriptive analysis of the measures implemented in Spanish universities. The findings highlight the coordinated action of the Spanish university system and the staunch defense of face-to-face teaching. This health crisis has also highlighted the deficits of this level of education and shed light on its future. Spain faces major challenges in the field of higher education. Consequently, the Spanish university system must begin building the foundations for educational innovation and training education professionals without fear of online scenarios. Finally, this article also proposes suggestions to guide policymakers in dealing with future adverse situations.

The arrival of covid-19 had a major impact on all sectors of the population, especially education. The closure of schools and later the health measures adopted forced schools to a rapid conversion towards a digital scenario. Faced with this crisis situation, the existence of school leaders became even more essential. For this reason, in order to face this challenge, it is necessary to establish a school management that moves towards horizontality, social justice and professional commitment. Using a qualitative approach, we offer the story of a female principal who leads in a challenge context. The findings reveal how fighting windmills was one of the predominant sensations throughout this period. This manuscript also describes the different leadership strategies developed. It also points out the different supports and obstacles experienced by the professional team of the school. Finally, we discuss new horizons within the field of school leadership in times of crisis.