A transnational approach to educational leadership capacity building: a case study of the Masters of Education programme at Notre Dame Institute of Education, Karachi, Pakistan

The expansion of educational opportunities internationally provides major prospects for developing countries to reform their education systems. The rise of new forms of transnational education, (the provision of education to learners in a country different from that of the provider) and the expansion of capacity building opportunities have helped developing nations to increase domestic access to international education and to enhance the quality of their local education systems through increasing the variety and relevance of their programmes. Pakistan, being a developing nation, faces huge educational challenges due to its highly rigid and bureaucratic system of education. It also faces a lack of resources and training opportunities to enhance and expand the capabilities of teachers and educational leaders. However, community based, not-for-profit institutions in Pakistan are making every effort to improve the quality of education through providing capacity building opportunities to teachers and educational leaders. Notre Dame Institute of Education (NDIE) in Karachi is one such kind of institute. It is affiliated with Karachi University (KU) and accredited with Australian Catholic University (ACU) and offers an M. Ed. programme for educational leaders. This study explores the effectiveness of the transnational M. Ed. programme at NDIE as a means of educational leadership capacity building in Pakistan. The main research problem was examined through four research questions which explored: the distinctive elements of the M. Ed. programme offered at NDIE and its focus on capacity building; the contextual factors contributing to this capacity building; the impact of the M. Ed. programme on the development of the leadership capacity of its graduates; and finally the contributions of this case study research to the understanding of issues related to transnational education focusing on educational capacity building. A qualitative approach, in the form of case study, was adopted for the research. The data was collected by means of survey questionnaires distributed to all the M. Ed. graduates; in-depth individual interviews and focus group interviews of selected graduates and NDIE teachers; analysis of the documents related to the M. Ed. programme and the transnational partnership between ACU and NDIE, and the researcher's reflective journal. The comprehensive narrative indicates the use of appropriate means of qualitative data reduction, analysis and display. This study highlights the contribution of the NDIE M. Ed. programme to the development of educational leaders in Pakistan and its impact on graduates in terms of bringing about change in their knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices as educational leaders. Using the United Nations Development Programme's framework (2009), this study also provides insights into the process of capacity building through the transfer and successful application of knowledge, expertise and methodologies from one educational context into another very different educational context. Furthermore, this study provides valuable insights into the contribution of ACU, Australian Sisters of Mercy and the Catholic Education system to educational leadership capacity building in Pakistan. As a result of this research, a number of recommendations are made for consideration by NDIE, other providers of leadership development programmes in Pakistan, ACU and future researchers.