This book provides a unique map of the focus and directions of contemporary research on school leadership since 2000 in 24 countries. Each of these directions has its own particular cultural, educational and policy history. Taken together, the various chapters in the volume provide a rich and varied mosaic of what is currently known and what is yet to be discovered about the roles and practices of principals, and their contributions to the improvement of teaching and the learning and achievement of students. The particular foci and methodological emphases of the research reported illustrate the different phases in the development of educational policies and provision in each country. This collection is an important addition to existing international research that has shown beyond any reasonable doubt that the influence of school principals is second only to that of teachers in their capacity to impact students¿ progress and achievement and to promote equity and social justice.

1. International School Principal Research.
Social Democratic Welfare Countries
.- 2. Denmark - Danish School leadership between welfare and competition.- 3. Iceland - Research on Principals in Iceland.- 4. Finland - Finnish Principal.- 5. Norway - Researching Norwegian Principals.- 6. Sweden - Swedish School Leadership Research - an Important but Neglected Area.-
Former East European Countries with a Fast Transition towards Democratic Societies
.- 7. Estonia - School Leadership in Estonia 2001 - 2013.- 8. Latvia - School Principals and Leadership Research in Latvia .- 9. Poland - Contemporary Research on School Principals and Leadership in Poland.-
English Speaking Countries with a Commonwealth Connection
.- 10. Australia - The Principal as Leader: A Review of Australian Principal Research, 2006 to 2013.- 11. Canada - Principal Leadership in Canada.- 12. England - School Leadership Research in England.- 13. New Zealand - New Zealand Principals:  Autonomy at a Cost.- 14. USA - Research on School Principals in the United States:  2003-2013.-
Schools Systems with a Clear National Administrative and Control Structure
.- 15. Austria - Overcoming a bureaucratic heritage as a trigger for research on leadership in Austria.- 16. China - Research on Chinese Principals and their Work .- 17. France - Between Civil Service and Republican Ethics: the Statist Vision of Leadership among French Principals.- 18. Germany - School Leadership: Research Base in Germany .- 19. Israel - Research on School Principals in Israel: Varied Topics, Limited Scope.- 20. Switzerland - School Leadership: Research Base in Switzerland.-
Countries with Challenges to Develop their School System
.- 21. Brazil - Leadership in Brazil.- 22. India - School Leadership: India at the Cross Roads.- 23. Mexico - Research on Principals of Public Schools in Mexico.- 24. Saudi Arabia - School Leadership in Saudi Arabia.- 25. South Africa - Research on South African publicschool principals: An uncompromising desire to improve the quality of education.