ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP, WORK CULTURE, AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IN ENHANCING THE INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION OF ISLAMIC HIGHER EDUCATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30868/ei.v15i02.9525Keywords:
islamic leadership, work culture, employee engagement, international reputation, islamic higher educationAbstract
This study examines the influence of Islamic leadership and work culture on the international reputation of Islamic higher education institutions, with employee engagement as a mediating variable. Using a descriptive quantitative design and PLS-SEM analysis of 555 respondents from five Indonesian state Islamic universities, findings reveal that leadership and work culture indirectly affect international reputation through employee engagement. These results highlight the strategic importance of fostering ethical leadership, a supportive work culture, and engaged employees to strengthen institutional capacity and global recognition.
The findings reveal that although Islamic Leadership and Islamic Work Culture do not exert a direct effect on international reputation status, both variables significantly influence it indirectly through Employee Engagement as a mediator. These results contribute to strengthening employee engagement as a strategic component in enhancing organizational capacity within Islamic educational institutions. The strategies derived from this study underscore the importance of leadership roles, Islamic work culture, and employee engagement in improving and sustaining the global reputation of these institutions.
References
Abdelwahed, Nadia A Abdelmegeed, Mohammed A Al Doghan, Ummi Naiemah Saraih, and Bahadur Ali Soomro. “Unleashing Potential: Islamic Leadership’s Influence on Employee Performance via Islamic Organizational Values, Organizational Culture and Work Motivation.” International Journal of Law and Management 67, no. 2 (April 10, 2024): 165–90. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLMA-01-2024-0019.
Andini, Azizah Noer, and Lusiana Ulfa Hardinawati. “Pengaruh Islamic Leadership dan Islamic Organizational Culture terhadap Employee Performance dengan Variabel Intervening Job Satisfaction (Bank Syariah Indonesia Kantor Area Jember).” E-Journal Ekonomi Bisnis Dan Akuntansi 11, no. 2 (2024): 87–100.
Budiyono, Agus, Abd Haris, Linda Tri Antika, and Arin Wildani. “Implementing the Concept of Integration of Science and Islamic Values at Islamic University.” Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan 16, no. 1 (2024): 581–91. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v16i1.4639.
Chotimah, Chusnul, Maulina Pia Wulandari, and Zulkarnain Nasution. “Enhancing School Reputation Through Effective Stakeholder Engagement: A Qualitative Analysis at an Integrated Islamic Junior High School in Mojokerto.” Sangkép: Jurnal Kajian Sosial Keagamaan 7, no. 2 (2024): 290–308.
Dianingrum, Melia, Tegar Nur Satriawan, and Mugiarti Mugiarti. “The Impact of Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance and the Mediating Effects of Islamic Work Ethic, Islamic Organizational Culture, and Islamic Leadership.” Majalah Ilmiah Bijak 21, no. 1 (2024): 13–25.
Faizin, A, Yatim Riyanto, and M V Roesminingsih. “Optimizing Islamic Boarding School-Based Branding to Increase the Reputation of Islamic Higher Education.” IJORER: International Journal of Recent Educational Research 5, no. 5 (2024): 1134–47.
Fansori, Rosihan, Kautsar Eka Wardhana, and Khadijah A Bighas. “The Concept of Leadership in the Philosophy of Educational Management from the Perspective of the Qur’an and Hadith.” Fikroh: Jurnal Pemikiran Dan Pendidikan Islam 17, no. 1 (2024): 11–28.
Fauzi, Ihwan. “Analysis of PTKIN Opportunities: Quality Measurement Through The Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Using The World Class Universty.” Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam 5, no. 1 (2021): 1–13.
Iqbal, Tayyaba, and Irfan Mahmood. “Impact of Employee Engagement on Organizational Productivity.” The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies 2, no. 2 (2024): 127–46.
Kausar, Shakila, Muhamad Arif, and Saliha Sebgag. “Transformational Leadership and the Challenges of Educational Digitalization: A Systematic Literature Review (2020-2025).” Nidhomul Haq: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam 10, no. 2 (2025): 312–32.
Meria, Aziza, Lukmanul Hakim, Radhiatul Hasnah, Ruri Afria Nursa, and Rahmad Tri Hadi. “Women Leadership Model in Islamic Religious College (PTKIN) in Implementing Gender Responsive Program Policies (Gender Studies at IAIN Bukittinggi, IAIN Ponorogo, and IAIN Metro Lampung).” Gender Equality: International Journal of Child and Gender Studies 8, no. 2 (2022): 149–60.
Nurlatipah, Terra. “Implementation of Islamic Spiritual Guidance in Growing Work Ethic for Employees at JNE Tangerang Office: ENG,” 2022.
Rabbad, Rana, Herni Justiana Astuti, Naelati Tubastuvi, and Bima Cinintya Pratama. “The Effect of Islamic Leadership, Organizational Culture, Motivation, Work Environment, and Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance.” International Journal of Research in Business & Social Science 13, no. 3 (2024).
Rini Fitria, Abdul Rosid, Suwarni, Amirul Syah, and Musyarrafah Sulaiman Kurdi. “Identification of Best Practices of Higher Education Leadership in Shaping Student Character Following Islamic Guidance.” Jurnal Iqra’ : Kajian Ilmu Pendidikan 8, no. 1 SE-Articles (August 12, 2023): 434–48. https://doi.org/10.25217/ji.v8i1.3928.
Rusmita, R, O F Siskawati, and I Satriadi. “Tinjauan Al-Quran Dan Hadist Tentang Sifat-Sifat Pemimpin (Studi Literatur). Indo-MathEdu Intellectuals Journal, 5 (3), 3441–3454,” 2024.
Sliwka, Anne, Britta Klopsch, Janina Beigel, and Lin Tung. “Transformational Leadership for Deeper Learning: Shaping Innovative School Practices for Enhanced Learning.” Journal of Educational Administration 62, no. 1 (December 4, 2023): 103–21. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-03-2023-0049.
Sulfiani, Sulfiani, Nora Saiva Jannana, and Sedya Sentosa. “Enhancing Islamic Educational Quality through Output-Based Quality Assurance: A Literature Review Perspective.” HEUTAGOGIA: Journal of Islamic Education 3, no. 2 SE-Articles (December 31, 2023): 155–68. https://doi.org/10.14421/hjie.2023.32-02.
Syukron, Buyung, Muhammad Mujib Baidhowi, Fitri Sari, and Sarah Ayu Ramadhani. “Accreditation-Based Quality Building Reconstruction Towards Excellent PTKI.” Akademika: Jurnal Pemikiran Islam 27, no. 1 (2022): 117–32.
Tarab, Sheema. “How Islamic Work Ethics Predict Work Engagement: A Double Mediation Model.” Society and Business Review 19, no. 4 (August 14, 2024): 743–61. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBR-09-2023-0277.
Wijayati, Dewie Tri, and Zainur Rahman. “The Role Of Islamic Leadership On Work Engagement In The Industrial Revolution 4.0: Work Ethic As Intervening Variable.” Amwaluna: Jurnal Ekonomi Dan Keuangan Syariah 6, no. 1 (2022): 128–42.
The Influence of Learning Organizational Culture, Employee Engagement, Digital Transformation, and Esg on Sustainable Competitive Advantage: the Role of Transformational Leadership at Abc University, Indonesia. International Journal of Social Science Humanity & Management Research. https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2025.v4i3n08.)
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sudirman Sudirman, Sutiah Sutiah, Sarkowi Sarkowi, Yuanda Kusuma, Heida Ifkari Safitri , Ida Fitri Anggarini

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).






