The impact of globalization is being felt in numerous spheres of educational policy and practice, in rapid growth of information and communication technologies, in economic transformation, and international market competition, all of which conspire to create new demands and place new pressures on school leadership. Drawing on examples from 12 countries in different parts of the world. The Editors have brought together 28 renowned scholars in Europe, Australia, North America, and Asia-Pacific countries to contribute to this book. The first six chapters address key themes and provide the framework for the 12 country reports which follow. With the aim of increasing international understanding and teasing out issues of transfer and application across cultural and linguistic boundaries, we have chosen national reports which cover a range of countries representing a diversity of culture and contextual backgrounds. We believe, these chapters and the book as a whole, can provide important theoretical, policy and practical implications that will inform the debate about the future of education and of schooling. While each of these country narratives underscore the importance of context, at the same time there are insights and values held in common.