Awareness and Leadership Capacity for Futures Thinking in Philippine Higher Education: A Correlational Study of NEMSU Leaders

Higher education institutions operate in uncertain environments that require leaders to anticipate change and integrate futures thinking into governance. This study examined awareness, leadership capacity, and institutional conditions shaping futures thinking at North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU), addressing the limited empirical evidence on foresight readiness in Philippine higher education. A descriptive–correlational survey of 179 academic and administrative leaders from multiple campuses used a validated questionnaire on awareness of futures thinking, leadership capacity across five foresight-related dimensions, perceived institutional barriers, and strategies supporting foresight; data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and one-way ANOVA. Results showed moderate awareness of futures thinking concepts and tools but high leadership capacity in visionary leadership, environmental scanning, strategic planning, innovation and creativity, and collaborative foresight. Awareness and leadership capacity were strongly and positively correlated, while capacity did not differ significantly by age, gender, position, or years of service, although awareness and selected capacity dimensions varied across role groups. Respondents reported that strategies to support futures thinking were practiced often yet identified moderate barriers related to training, resources, and organizational culture. The study provides an initial systematic assessment of futures thinking readiness in a Philippine state university and offers evidence to inform leadership development, resource allocation, and the institutionalization of anticipatory governance in higher education.