The question of the impact of leadership development – like teacher training and education as a whole – has been addressed rather infrequently. Although there are calls for increased research efforts, they have so far rarely been met.

In the project, current international findings on effectiveness as well as international research designs and desiderata were first elicited and discussed from a research-methodological-methodological perspective. From this, a theoretical framework model for theory-based empirical research was developed, which also forms the basis for evaluations in the area of continuing education and executive development. Extensive empirical data have been collected in one Swiss canton and four German states, where qualification programs have been investigated on the basis of the same theoretical model and with corresponding methodological operationalization. Similarly, empirical data are available from comprehensive studies in two German states, in which, in addition to the quality, effectiveness, and sustainability of offerings, the organization and management of teacher training and continuing education were examined from the perspective of relevant actors or groups of actors. Further data analysis is pending in each case.