Contemporary Innovation in Islamic Education Management for Enhancing Institutional Quality and Competitiveness

Abstract

This study aims to analyze management innovation in contemporary Islamic education in improving the quality and competitiveness of educational institutions. Technological advancement, social transformation, and increasing competition among educational institutions require Islamic educational institutions to implement more adaptive and professional managerial transformation while maintaining Islamic values as their institutional identity. In this context, management innovation becomes an essential strategy in strengthening institutional governance, improving educational quality, and enhancing institutional competitiveness in the contemporary era. This study employed an interpretative qualitative approach through the Systematic Literature Review method by examining relevant scholarly articles on contemporary Islamic education management. Data were collected through the identification, selection, evaluation, and review of literature relevant to the research focus, and were analyzed thematically through data reduction, categorization, interpretation, and synthesis. The findings reveal that management innovation contributes significantly to the transformation of Islamic educational governance through stronger strategic planning, more systematic task distribution, collaborative leadership, and the integration of digital technology in institutional management. Furthermore, management innovation contributes to educational quality improvement through strengthening teacher competence, developing learning systems, improving academic evaluation, and enhancing educational services. The study also finds that management innovation strengthens institutional competitiveness through increased public trust, broader institutional networking, and stronger Islamic educational identity as a distinctive institutional advantage. Theoretically, this study supports George R. Terry’s management theory, Edward Sallis’ Total Quality Management perspective, and Everett M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory, while also extending them through the finding that innovation in Islamic education is consistently aligned with Islamic values as ethical and normative foundations in institutional transformation. Therefore, management innovation can be understood as an important transformation strategy in improving the quality and competitiveness of Islamic educational institutions in the contemporary era