In recent decades, international journals have shown increasing interest in educational leadership in Mainland China. However, few systematic reviews have evaluated this field's current state of research. This study addresses this gap by analyzing 236 articles published between 1991 and 2024, using bibliometric and content analyses. It examines publication trends, research topics, methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and the use of existing theories. The findings highlight the need to strengthen context-specific and globally relevant research, improve methodological rigor, and develop more comprehensive theoretical frameworks to advance future research on educational leadership in Mainland China.
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