Educational leadership development in initial teacher education: Experiences from a public university

Teacher leadership was recognized as a determining factor in improving educational outcomes, and its inclusion in initial teacher training is essential to mitigate adverse impacts on the future labor insertion of educators. The study was conducted in a public university in Ecuador in 2024, using a qualitative approach. The main objective was to explore the foundations of educational leadership within the initial training program in the Basic Education career. Focus groups and documentary analysis were used to collect data. The findings indicated a clear need to implement educational strategies that incorporate the development of leadership skills integrally in the curriculum, highlighting the usefulness of specialized workshops to strengthen these competencies. Adopting these strategies revealed a model that could be worked on in other institutions, proposing an educational approach that forms leaders capable of handling the challenges of contemporary educational environments.