A comprehensive assessment of self-leadership among students in China’s ethnic regions: insights and implications for higher education

In modern society, individuals are granted greater autonomy, amplifying the significance of self-leadership. The cultivation of self-leadership stands as a pivotal determinant in the holistic development of college students. Despite its importance, higher education's role in fostering self-leadership has been comparatively overlooked, with empirical examinations using validated models in this domain remaining scarce. This research delves into the self-leadership attributes of students in Chinese ethnic region universities, utilizing the College Student Self-leadership Assessment (CSSA) and enriching the study with semi-structured interviews with students and educators. Drawing on responses from 2,578 participants across thirteen ethnic region universities in China, and insights gleaned from interviews, students' self-leadership was evaluated across nine dimensions. The results illuminated that students generally exhibited commendable self-leadership attributes, particularly excelling in value selection and self-perception. Nevertheless, deficiencies were noted in their intrinsic learning motivation, goal management, and independent decision-making. Additionally, significant variances in self-leadership were detected across variables such as gender, grade and institutional tiers. These findings underscores the essential need for educational strategies that strengthen students' self-leadership. Key recommendations involve adopting project-based learning that incorporates cultural engagement, and developing interdisciplinary curricula, which together enhance student autonomy and community involvement, thereby fostering a robust self-leadership foundation. This study provides key insights into pedagogical and assessment methods to develop self-leadership among students, filling a crucial gap in higher education research, especially in ethnic region universities, and underscores the need for specialized support for their developmental needs.