Impact of educational managers competencies and leadership styles on digital transformation and quality in higher education

Introduction This study examines the relationship between managerial competencies, leadership styles, and educational quality within the context of digital transformation in higher education. Although leadership and institutional quality have been widely studied, there remains a research gap regarding how educational managers’ profiles influence organizational performance in Latin American universities. Methods A non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational design was used. Data were collected from 161 participants (139 students, 12 professors, and 10 administrative staff) from a faculty of a Mexican university through stratified random sampling. A validated 127-item instrument assessed managerial competencies, leadership styles, and perceived educational quality. Statistical analyses included the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. Results The findings revealed significant positive correlations between transformational leadership, competence-based management, and perceived quality indicators, confirming consistent patterns across all participant groups. Discussion Results highlight the influence of leadership centered on human and technological development as a key driver of educational innovation and institutional performance. Conclusion The study contributes contextualized evidence from Mexico and offers practical implications for higher education policymakers and administrators seeking to enhance leadership training and digital transformation within universities.