Abstract
The development of knowledge economy has reinforced the significance of education in Malaysia, particularly for advancing the nation's growth. The success of the education sector depends largely on the element of leadership, a key management role that focuses on building public relations, fostering interpersonal relationships, and creating strategies to boost performance and overall organizational success. Within the context of higher education, effective leadership can shape institutional direction and significantly impact students' performance, substantially driving their capacity to adapt to changes, promote innovation, and uphold higher academic standards. This study aims to develop a model examining how leadership preferences (transformational leadership, task-oriented leadership, and people-oriented leadership) directly influence students' academic performance in Malaysia's Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The study developed three hypotheses, which were quantitatively tested using Structural Equation Modelling via Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM). Data were collected from 200 university students via purposive sampling, and a five-point Likert scale was used to administer the survey questionnaires. All measures were adapted from well-validated sources and possessed good internal consistency. The findings indicate that transformational and task-oriented leadership styles have a positive and significant relationship with students' academic performance. On the contrary, people-oriented leadership does not significantly affect students' academic performance. The findings suggest that universities should adopt a blend of transformational and task-oriented leadership styles to enhance student participation and performance. Integrating the benefits of both leadership styles in the education sector can nurture academic success and provide students with the necessary skills for their future.
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