Decision-Making Strategies of Educational Managers in Crisis Situations: A Systematic Review of Domestic and International Literature (With a Focus on War and Large-Scale Natural Disasters)

Introduction: Educational systems are increasingly confronted with large-scale crises, including wars, natural disasters, pandemics, and social disruptions, all of which create significant managerial and organizational challenges. In such circumstances, educational leaders play a pivotal role in ensuring the continuity of learning, mitigating organizational disruptions, and maintaining stability within educational institutions.Significance of the Study: The growing frequency and intensity of crises worldwide have underscored the need for evidence-based decision-making frameworks in educational management. Understanding how educational leaders respond to wars and large-scale natural disasters can provide valuable insights for strengthening institutional resilience and improving crisis preparedness across educational systems.Methodology: This study employed a systematic review methodology based on the PRISMA framework. Relevant literature was retrieved from major international and national databases, including Science Direct, Springer, ERIC, Google Scholar, SID, Magi ran, Noormags, and Civilica. An initial pool of ۱۱۲ studies was identified, and after a rigorous screening process, ۳۳ articles—comprising ۱۸ international and ۱۵ domestic studies—were selected for final analysis.Findings: The results revealed that effective crisis management in educational settings is primarily associated with flexible leadership, participatory decision-making, crisis communication, the integration of educational technologies, organizational resilience, contingency planning, and psychological support for students and staff. The findings further indicated that educational leaders in war-related crises tend to prioritize psychological well-being, social support, and educational continuity, whereas in natural disasters greater emphasis is placed on infrastructure recovery, resource allocation, and the rapid restoration of educational services.Conclusion: The study highlights that successful educational crisis management depends largely on leadership effectiveness, organizational preparedness, technological capacity, and institutional resilience. The findings also emphasize the importance of specialized crisis-management training for educational administrators and the development of context-sensitive and indigenous models of educational crisis management. Strengthening these areas can enhance the ability of educational institutions to respond effectively to future crises while maintaining the continuity and quality of education.