Higher education student engagement, leadership potential and self-perceived employability in the United Arab Emirates
通过量化研究验证了学生参与度量表，发现阿联酋本科生参与度越高，领导潜力和自我感知就业能力越强，且参与度能增强两者关系，对高校改进活动有参考价值。
Higher education student engagement (HESE) is increasingly essential for developing employability and leadership potential. While several academic institutions worldwide have underscored the importance of fostering leadership skills, there remains an evident gap in the UAE’s understanding of the impact of student engagement on leadership potential and perceived employability. Thus, by adopting a quantitative research approach, this study validates the HESE scale and examines its associations with leadership potential (LP) and self-perceived employability (SPE) among undergraduate students in the UAE. The results reveal that increased student engagement significantly enhances LP and is positively associated with SPE. In addition, a higher level of HESE notably strengthens the relationship between LP and SPE. Universities in the UAE can leverage these findings to refine their activities to improve student engagement initiatives, which could bridge the current skills gap and boost student readiness for the competitive labour market. The research recommends integrating comprehensive student engagement strategies in higher education to develop essential leadership skills and confidence in employability among students, aligning academic preparation with market demands.