Assessing global leadership competency in international undergraduate education: a contextualized scale developed in China

Abstract

This study developed and initially validated a six-factor global leadership competency (GLC) scale assessing self-perceived GLC among international undergraduates in Beijing, China. Existing instruments are largely grounded in Western managerial contexts and may not adequately reflect student development in culturally diverse higher education. A 50-item scale was developed through literature synthesis, expert review, item-objective congruence-based content validation, and pilot testing. Data from 314 international undergraduates across 28 Beijing universities were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Principal axis factoring with Promax rotation identified six dimensions: global mindset, strategic thinking, global social responsibility, cross-cultural competence, global innovative capability, and global strategy implementation. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the correlated six-factor model, χ²(1160) = 1,968.65, CFI = 0.930, TLI = 0.926, RMSEA = 0.047, SRMR = 0.042, which fit better than single-factor and second-order alternatives. Reliability was strong (α = 0.908–0.944), and heterotrait–monotrait values (0.130–0.690) supported discriminant validity. The findings suggest that GLC is a multidimensional, educationally embedded construct. Because development and validation relied on one Beijing dataset, the scale remains a preliminary diagnostic tool requiring independent validation across regions, institutions, and student populations.