Dr. Adebayo Saheed Adewale is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Administration, College of Education, at Wenzhou-Kean University. He is a distinguished educational leadership scholar, professional teacher, researcher, and experienced school administrator whose academic and professional journey reflects a strong commitment to educational excellence, leadership development, and transformative learning.

Dr. Adebayo began his professional journey in education at Lagos State University of Education (formerly Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education), where he graduated with Distinction in Education. He subsequently earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Educational Administration and Planning from University of Lagos. Driven by his passion for educational leadership and policy, he obtained a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy from University of Malaya, one of Asia’s leading research universities. He also served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Higher Education Research Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

With more than a decade of professional experience across K–12 and higher education, Dr. Adebayo has served in multiple leadership and instructional roles, including subject teacher, class teacher, school principal, head of school, and lecturer. These experiences have enabled him to bridge theory and practice effectively, bringing real-world educational leadership perspectives into his teaching, research, and mentorship.

Dr. Adebayo’s research focuses on educational leadership, teacher development, school improvement, organizational behavior in education, educational policy, and higher education administration. His scholarly work particularly explores leadership practices that enhance teacher effectiveness, organizational citizenship behavior, innovation, and sustainable educational development within diverse educational contexts. He has published in reputable international journals and continues to contribute to global conversations on educational leadership and administration.

Dr. Adebayo Saheed Adewale is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Administration, College of Education, at Wenzhou-Kean University. He is a distinguished educational leadership scholar, professional teacher, researcher, and experienced school administrator whose academic and professional journey reflects a strong commitment to educational excellence, leadership development, and transformative learning.

Dr. Adebayo began his professional journey in education at Lagos State University of Education (formerly Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education), where he graduated with Distinction in Education. He subsequently earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Educational Administration and Planning from University of Lagos. Driven by his passion for educational leadership and policy, he obtained a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy from University of Malaya, one of Asia’s leading research universities. He also served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Higher Education Research Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

With more than a decade of professional experience across K–12 and higher education, Dr. Adebayo has served in multiple leadership and instructional roles, including subject teacher, class teacher, school principal, head of school, and lecturer. These experiences have enabled him to bridge theory and practice effectively, bringing real-world educational leadership perspectives into his teaching, research, and mentorship.

Dr. Adebayo’s research focuses on educational leadership, teacher development, school improvement, organizational behavior in education, educational policy, and higher education administration. His scholarly work particularly explores leadership practices that enhance teacher effectiveness, organizational citizenship behavior, innovation, and sustainable educational development within diverse educational contexts. He has published in reputable international journals and continues to contribute to global conversations on educational leadership and administration.

Beyond research and teaching, Dr. Adebayo is deeply committed to postgraduate student development and academic mentorship. He has organized and facilitated several research and academic writing workshops for postgraduate students across universities in China, helping emerging scholars strengthen their research capacity, academic writing, and publication skills. His student-centered mentorship style emphasizes critical thinking, scholarly collaboration, and professional growth.

Dr. Adebayo also serves on the editorial boards of reputable journals in education and the social sciences and actively participates in peer-review activities for high-impact international journals. His dedication to student research engagement has produced remarkable outcomes. During the 2026 Student Research Day at Wenzhou-Kean University, he successfully supervised and mentored students who presented 14 research posters and 6 oral presentations, with three student projects receiving awards for excellence.

As an educator and mentor, Dr. Adebayo is passionate about supporting PhD, EdD, and postgraduate students in their academic and professional journeys. He provides guidance in educational leadership research, quantitative and qualitative research methods, academic publishing, leadership development, and policy analysis. His combination of international academic training, practical school leadership experience, and active research engagement enables him to provide rich intellectual and professional support to students, researchers, and educational practitioners.

Graduated institutions

Ph.D., Educational Leadership and Policy, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

M.A., Educational Administration and Planning, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos

B.A., Educational Administration and Planning, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos

Academic Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership & Policy.

Diploma in Human Resources Management.

Master of Education in Educational Administration and Planning.

Bachelor of Arts (Education) in Education Administration and Planning.

Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE)- Economics/Accountancy.

GoT - Faculty of Education, University of Malaya - 2018

Best Paper Presenter Award- Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. – 2018

WKU Student Recruitment Award – 2025

Mentoring Outstanding Research Output for WKU Student Research Day – 2026.

Higher Education Studies and Administration.

Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy in K-12 and Higher Education.

Organizational Behavior and Leadership in Educational Settings.

Mixed-Methods Research, including Quantitative and Qualitative Research Designs.

Human Resources Management in K-12 and Higher Education Institutions.

Innovation, Digital Transformation, and Technology Integration in Educational Systems

Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.

Educational Management, Teacher Development, and Institutional Effectiveness.

WKU Institutional Grant: Start-up Grant – (Awarded 2023-2026) Principal Investigator

Title: Investigating the effects of principals’ leadership competencies on teachers’ organizational citizenship behavior and change-oriented behavior in Chinese schools.

Wenzhou Municipal Government Grant (Awarded 2024-2025) Principal Investigator

Title: Contributions of sino-foreign university to the sustainable development of Wenzhou city: A case study of Wenzhou Kean University.

Institutional activation and cognitive growth in the artificial intelligence era: A mixed-methods study of digital activation mechanisms across divergent university ecologies. Student Name Chen Xi (Completed) 2025 (Chair)

Exploring the professional needs of primary school EFL teachers under China’s double reduction policy: Implications for effective school leadership and improvement. Student Name: Yindan Liao (On-going) 2026 (Member)

Exploring Chinese teachers’ experiences of using AI tools in teaching: Implications on school improvement and policy reform. Student: Jie Chen (On-going) 2026 (Member)

Project Title: Institutionalizing Student Representation in University Governance in China: A Framework for Inclusive Administration. (Principal Investigator)

Researchers: Adebayo Saheed Adewale, Lisa Xu, Dai Kun & Angela Hou Yung-Chi.

Project Title: Internationalization of Higher Education Crisis in the UK and US: An Open Opportunity for East Asian Countries. (Principal Investigator)

Researchers: Adebayo Saheed Adewale, Cheng Kai-Ming

Project Title: A phenomenological study of the experience of working women in doctoral degree programmes in Nigerian universities: Implications for higher education leadership and policy. (Principal Investigator)

Researchers: Adebayo Saheed Adewale; Salami, Fatimat, & Adekunle Akeem Ayotunde

Project Title: Leading the digital shift: Exploring the role of university leadership in AI integration in Nigerian higher education. (Principal Investigator)

Researchers: Adebayo Saheed Adewale; Haruna Josphine & Sule Sheidu Atokolo

2025 Conference for Higher Education Research

Organized by: Asian Pacific Higher Education and Hang Seng University

Hong Kong

2024 China Higher Education Conference

Organized by: Ministry of Education & Lingnan University, Hong Kong

2018 International Conference on Education

Theme: The Changing Landscape of Education: Issues and Challenges.

Organized by: University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur Malaysia &

National Chung Chang University, Taiwan

2018 Global Higher Education Forum

Theme: Thriving for Knowledge, Industry and HumanTity in A Dynamic

Higher Education Ecosystem.

Organized by: Universiti Sains Malaysia(USM)

2017 International Conference on Islamic Jurisprudence

Theme: Towards Maqasid-Based Good Governance in Policies

and Management from Wasatiyyah Perspective.

Organized by: Department of Usul-Fiqh, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed

Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University,

Malaysia(IIUM)

2016 International Conference on Teaching and Learning

Organized by: Faculty of Education, University of Malaya

Held at Hotel Hilton, Petaling Jaya,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Between 5th to 6th October, 2016.

Dr. Adebayo served as a reviewer for the following international high-impact journals:

Higher Education (Springer Nature, SSCI, Q1)

The Asia Pacific Education Researcher (Springer Nature, SSCI, Q2)

Education and Information Technologies (Springer Nature, SSCI, Q1)

Technological Forecasting and Social Change (Springer Nature, SSCI, Q1)

International Journal of Educational Development (Elsevier, SSCI, Q1)

International Journal of Management Education (Elsevier, SSCI, Q1)

International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management (Emerald, SSCI, Q1)

International Journal of Leadership in Education (Taylors and Francis, Scopus, Q1)

International Journal of Management Education (Elsevier SSCI, Q1)

International Journal of Ethics and Systems (Emerald, ESCI, Q1)

International Journal of Innovation Sciences (Emerald, SSCI, Q2)

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (Springer Nature, SSCI, Q1)

Management Review Quarterly (Springer Nature, Q1)

BMC Public Health (Springer Nature, Q1)

BMC Health Services Research (Springer Nature, Q1)

Technology Knowledge and Learning (Springer Nature, Q1)

Asian Education and Development Studies (Emerald, ESCI Q2)

Journal of Academic Ethics (Springer Nature, Q1)

As a researcher, Dr. Adebayo participated in various professional programs organized by numerous publishers, including:

SAGE- How to do research and get published – How to write a manuscript.

SAGE- How to do research and get published- How to promote your article and impact policy

SAGE- How to do research and get published- How to respond to reviewer’s comments.

SPRINGER NATURE: Making editorial decisions and evaluating peer reviewer reports.

SPRINGER NATURE: Finding peer reviewers: Solutions for identifying and securing potential candidates

SPRINGER NATURE: Assessing a new submission: Determining suitability for peer review.

Professional Services and International Research Engagement

Keynote Speaker: International Conference on Education Sciences, Distance Education and Educational Technology (ICESDEET) 2024.

Keynote Speaker: International Conference on Green Agriculture and Environmental Science (ICGAES). Organized by the International Association for Innovation and Scientific Research (IAISR) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2025.

Ongoing Research Collaboration with Students

M. A Educational Administration

Impact of distributed leadership practices of school principals on teachers’ job satisfaction and collaboration networks in Chinese rural schools.

Student Researchers: Jinbo Xie, Zirui He, & Zhao Yang

Investigating the influence of instructional leadership practices of school principals on teachers’ empowerment and change-oriented behavior in Chinese K-12 schools.

Student Researchers: Siqi Jiang, Pin Lyu, Yiru Chen

Exploring the impacts of social justice leadership on Chinese teachers’ engagement and psychological capital: Evidence from Chinese Vocational schools.

Student Researchers: Xiaoxiao Li., Yue Cai, & Qiao Li.

The role of principals’ professional networks on teachers’ innovative practice and organizational commitment: Insight from Chinese public schools.

Student Researchers: Feilin Chen, Haoyuan Guo, & Kathy

Balancing control and autonomy: The impact of school leaders’ decision-making styles on teachers pedagogical creativity and organizational citizenship behavior.

Student Researchers: Cui Henzhen, Li Kehao, & Li Zhenyang.

Impact of supportive leadership on teachers’ motivation and organizational citizenship behavior in Chinese rural middle schools.

Student Researchers: Yang Zi, Hou Jianyan & Tang Xulin.

Ed.D

Exploring the influence of university leadership vision alignment on faculty engagement and productivity in Chinese universities.

Student Researchers: Yan Wang & Huang Xixi

Faculty motivation and research productivity in Chinese higher education: Implications for sustainable higher education.

Student Researchers: Ziqi Pan & Xinjun Ji.

Investigating the impact of professional development programs on faculty’s pedagogical innovation and change-oriented behavior in Chinese universities.

Student Researcher: Xiaoman Guo,

Impact of adaptive leadership and workplace support on teachers’ burnout: Evidence from Chinese universities.

Student Researchers: Qianyu Jin & Jiafeng Li.

Dr. Adebayo Saheed Adewale is available to supervise Ed.D doctoral students. Prospective candidates may contact him at: asaheed@kean.edu

Adebayo, S.A., & Ghavifekr, S. (2025). Challenges of leading change in higher education institutions. Educational Management, Administration, and Leadership, 0(0), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432251334704

Adebayo, S.A. & Adekunle, A.A. (2025). Stakeholders’ perceptions on transforming and advancing sustainable development goals in higher education institutions through artificial intelligence. International Journal of Educational Management, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-12-2024-0847

Adebayo-Shittabey, K.O., Popoola, K.H., & Adebayo, S.A. (2025). A quantitative study of factors influencing students’ academic achievement in Mathematics in private schools in Abuja, Nigeria. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(6). https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15i6/25756

Adebayo, S.A., & Hazri Jamil (2025). Recession in home ground: Impacts on Nigerian students studying in Malaysia. Asian Journal of University Education, 21 (3), 750-765. https://doi.org/10.24191/ajue.v21i3.51

Adebayo, S.A., & Abdul Raheem, A.Z. (2019). Islamic finance instruments as alternative financing to sustainable higher education in Nigeria. Global Journal of Al Thaqafah, 9(1), 35-48. ISSN: 2232-0474.

Adebayo, S.A., Hazri, J., & Adebayo-Shittabey K. (2019). Leadership self-efficacy, change-oriented behavior, and organizational citizenship behavior: The moderating effect of experience. International Journal of Higher Education, 8(4), 36-51, https://doi/10.5430/ijhe.v8n4p36

Adebayo, S.A., & Ghavifekr, S. (2019). Leadership self-efficacy and staff organizational citizenship behavior in higher education institutions: Experience from Nigeria. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 22(1),116-133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2018.1543540

Ghavifekr, S., & Adebayo, S.A. (2019). Can change leadership impact on staff organizational citizenship behavior? A scenario from Malaysia. Higher Education Evaluation and Development, 13(2),65-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/HEED-08-2019-0040

Adebayo, S.A., Ghavifekr, S., & Megat Daud, M.A. (2018). Leadership and staff organizational citizenship behavior in higher education institutions: A quantitative analysis. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management, 6 (1), 36 - 52. https://doi.org/10.22452/mojem.vol6no1.3

Adebayo, S. A., Ghavifekr, S., & Megat Daud, M.A. (2018). Predictors of organizational citizenship behavior in higher education institutions: Implications for effective leadership. Educational Leader, 6, 19 - 49. ISSN: 1675-0853

Adebayo, S.A., Ghavifekr, S., & Abdul-Salam, I. (2017). Impact of stress on academic staff: Implication for higher education management and leadership. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management, 5 (2), 75 – 91. https://doi.org/10.22452/mojem.vol5no2.5

Adebayo, S.A., Ghavifekr, S., & Megat Daud, M.A. (2017). Impact of leadership self-efficacy on organizational citizenship behavior: A qualitative analysis on academic leaders’ perceptions. International Research Journal of Education and Science, 1 (2), 41 - 47. ISSN: 2550-2158

Ghavifekr, S., Idris, A.R., Ibrahim, M.S., Mohammed, S., & Adebayo, S.A. (2016). A study on Malaysian private higher education institutions: Instructional leadership roles of heads of department and lecturers’ job satisfaction. INTED proceedings, 269 - 278. ISSN: 2340 - 1079. (ISI-Indexed).

Adebayo, S.A., & Touray, I. (2016). Training and development as tools for employee performance in higher learning institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. EDULEARN Proceedings, 2459 - 2468. ISSN: 2340 - 1117. https://doi.org/1021125/edulearn.2016.1527

(ISI-Indexed)

Adebayo, S.A (2015). The need for safety education programme for reducing road accidents. Proceedings of Third Forum of Traffic Safety, 92 - 103.