European Trade Union Committee for Education

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The webinar organised by the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) in collaboration with ETUCE under the webinar series of the Educational Leadership Network Europe aimed at identifying the factors, practices and conditions of fostering collaborative leadership.

John MacGabhann, President of ETUCE welcomed the participants and the speakers, namely PhD Adjunct Professor Harold Hislop from Dublin City University Institute of Education; Professor Patricia Mannix-McNamara from University of Limerick; General Secretary Áine O'Sullivan from the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools (ACCS); Director Dr. Martin Gormley from the Donegal Education and Training Board; and David Waters, President of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI).

Throughout the discussion, speakers underlined the importance of democracy in school leadership and the crucial role of collaborative leadership in maintaining democratic values within the school community. Leadership today is no longer about individual authority but about fostering collective responsibility, encouraging the open exchange of ideas, and promoting joint decision-making and ownership.

At the same time, the speakers acknowledged significant challenges. Research has yet to reach consensus on the most effective leadership models. In Ireland there is a noticeable decline in the number of people applying for leadership positions while many existing leaders are stepping down. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed leadership practices, increasing both stress and burnout, especially in light of intensified workloads and shifting responsibilities. In Irish primary schools, the pace of work for school leaders accelerated during and after the pandemic, resulting in high levels of stress and exhaustion. Worryingly, incidents of workplace violence and bullying have risen, affecting 22% of male school leaders and 38% of female school leaders. Despite high job satisfaction levels, many school leaders report feeling a lack of control and well-being. However, professional collaboration with colleagues remains the most effective source of support.

Speakers highlighted that every teacher in a school community has a leadership role, but it is up to school leaders and boards of management to foster distributed leadership through the right balance of relationships and responsibilities.

Schools must build leadership capacity and promote collaboration that encourages shared ownership of change. Trust, empowerment, and a culture of mutual learning are essential. School leaders should support this by encouraging middle-level leaders to take on greater responsibilities, even if middle-level leaders at the moment do not initially see themselves as leaders. Time constraints often hinder leadership development, making formal recognition of middle-leadership roles and long-term professional development crucial. Collaboration with universities, use of digital tools, and networking with other school leaders can also help.

According to TUI, adequate infrastructure, financial resources, and regular staff meetings are equally important for embedding collaborative leadership. The TUI offers trainings to help teachers understand leadership, trade union roles, contracts, and career development, as many still lack knowledge in these areas.

Trust, collegiality, and sustained government support are key foundations for successful leadership. Strong, equal relationships, clear long-term goals, social dialogue, and respect for collective agreements all play a role. Notably, unionized schools experienced fewer COVID-19 cases, thanks to a stronger sense of collective responsibility and cooperation between teachers and school leaders. This underlines how trust, collaboration, and active union involvement strengthen both leadership and school communities.

The recorded webinar can be found here: How to facilitate effective and sustainable collaborative leadership

Please find other related webinars here:

EEM 2025 - Digitalisation of education – by OBESSU, EPA, and ETUCE

EEM 2025 - Support and Guidance for Teachers: Introducing Curriculum Reform in Education – by ZNP

EEM 2025 - School Principles Czech Republic (in Check and Slovakian) – by CMOS – PS

EEM 2025 - European Sectorial Social Partners in Education Addressing Psychosocial Risks – by EFEE and ETUCE

EEM 2025 - Leading by dialogues: collaborating with private schools to educate teachers at CERN – by OIELE