Research

The Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) provides a psychometrically validated way in which to measure leadership outcomes attainment, using the Social Change Model of Leadership Development as the basis for measurement.

To learn more about the MSL, please view our recent webinar video, Leveraging UW Research to Inform Student Leadership Development, featured farther down this webpage.

UW-Madison was recently featured in an Inside UW Article for its participation in the 2018 MSL.  However, it’s important to note that we’ve also participated in 2009 and 2015 editions of the MSL. This ensures that key campus leadership initiatives, including Leadership @ UW, are positioned to generate educational interventions supported by research. We acknowledge that other models exist and mapping strategies have been used to align MSL results with other leadership models (see image on right column) utilized at UW-Madison, including the UW-Madison Leadership Framework.

Leadership Outcomes assessed by the MSL:

• Leadership Capacity (the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with socially responsible leadership)
• Leadership Efficacy (internal belief about ability to lead)
• Leadership Behaviors (enactment of leadership capacity)
• Complex Cognitive Abilities
• Developmental Outcomes (related to resilience, racial identity and spiritual development)
• Sense of Belonging (on campus)

The MSL is a survey study designed “to examine student leadership values at institutional and national levels with specific attention to campus experience factors that influence leadership development in college students”. As a nationally administered study, MSL results allow for a comparison of UW-Madison students with those attending peer groups of institutions.