Strategic management has received increasing attention as educational institutions respond to changing demands, limited resources, and greater expectations for institutional performance. However, empirical findings remain dispersed across different aspects of strategic management, making it difficult to obtain an integrated view of its implementation, outcomes, and enabling conditions. This study therefore conducted a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of empirical studies published between 2022 and 2026. The review followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, while methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). From 3,911 records retrieved across six electronic databases, 20 studies met the eligibility and quality requirements for the final synthesis. The thematic analysis identified four dimensions of strategic management: holistic strategic management, strategy implementation, continuous evaluation and improvement, and strategic planning. The reviewed studies associated strategic management with organisational effectiveness, educational quality, and institutional strengthening. Three factors were also prominent in supporting implementation: leadership and governance, organisational capacity, and organisational culture and collaboration. Overall, the findings point to the importance of viewing strategic management as an ongoing process in which planning, implementation, monitoring, and improvement are connected. The review provides evidence that may support educational leadership, policy development, and future research.
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