This study seeks to broaden the existing knowledge about education and professional development in educational leadership by analysing the characteristics of "good" training programmes according to international theoretical frameworks and to educational leaders' views. To do so, 100 headteachers of infant, primary and secondary schools were interviewed in the province of Alicante, Spain, and the data were coded and processed using Aquad 6. The results show agreement between the criteria for a good education programme used by the two sources referred to above.