Human-Centered Educational Leadership for Sustainable Development in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
This chapter develops a human-centered, leadership-driven framework explaining how education contributes to sustainability in AI-augmented societies. It addresses three research questions on leadership as a driver of sustainability, its mechanisms of influence, and its role in employability, inclusion, and resilience. Using a conceptual methodology and literature synthesis, it draws on Human Capital Theory, the Capability Approach, and leadership theories. Findings show that transformational, instructional, and adaptive leadership jointly shape education through ethical resource allocation, curriculum, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and apprenticeship systems that bridge education and the labor market through experiential learning. These processes enhance capabilities, employability, and inclusion while reducing inequality risks in AI contexts. The chapter concludes that education drives sustainable development only when guided by integrated human-centered leadership, emphasizing leadership development, inclusive governance, and curriculum reform for future-ready systems