Collaboration: The Big Picture

Given the rapidly changing landscape of higher education, its ever increasing costs, and the uncertain global economic climate, collaborations 1 are increasingly cited as a solution to many of the challenges faced by colleges and universities today. Consortia are seen as a way to expand resources, enhance curricular and extra-curricular offerings, and reduce costs through the sharing of services, facilities, and purchasing power. Ideally, by building these strategic partnerships, institutions are able to create a synergistic effect in which the consortium offers greater resources and opportunities -optimally at the same or even reduced costs -than any single school could provide to its students, faculty, and staff on its own. According to Anthony Marx, former President of Amherst College, "[a]s higher education's business model, rising tuition, growing need for financial aid, reliance on less certain public financing, investment earnings and philanthropy, comes under increasing pressure, the advantages of collaboration are ever more apparent" (Reyes, 2010). Yet, despite the importance placed on the idea of cooperation among tertiary institutions and the possible benefits of these relationships, my survey suggests there is surprisingly little information about how to form these partnerships and guide them to a successful and readily sustained operation. Equally as significant is the lack of shared knowledge about the problems and pitfalls inherent in uniting different institutions with individual missions and values. Without access to this type of information, institutions that are considering forming consortial relationships cannot benefit from the collective wisdom of experienced collaborators. Indeed, this lack of transparency may be 1 In this paper, the terms "collaboration", "consortium", and "partnership" are used interchangeably, which reflects how the schools in this study employ the terminology. All three terms refer to the close relationships formed among multiple institutions for the benefit of one or more members of the group.

2016

Improving the quality of research outputs in higher education through knowledge sharing and

Iss Working Paper Series General Series, 2014

The Civic Innovation Research Initiative (CIRI) is a research program that explores how organizations and individuals mobilize to change their societies. CIRI focuses on how actors co-shape political, economic and cultural trends in pursuing the common interest whilst respecting differences. CIRI is one of the research programs of The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS). The CIRI Working Paper series provides a forum for work in progress that seeks to elicit comments and generate discussion. The series includes academic research by staff, PhD participants, visiting fellows, and research papers by graduate students.

Proceedings of The Asist Annual Meeting, 2004

1974

Teaching in Tension, 2013

Cambridge University Press eBooks, 1993

This reflective article responds to the question: "What values and lessons can be gained from codesign in a culturally and disciplinarily diverse cross-university student project?" The Polar Project is regarded as just such an initiative and was intended to boost innovative product development across fields of study between two higher education institutions (HEIs) located in Southern African Development Community (SADC) region countries. As lecturers, facilitators and mentors, the article's authors adopted a qualitative and interpretive approach for analysing student "reflections-in-action", using both reports and reflective questionnaires during the project's co-design process. We formulated our own analysis methods for the process of critical reflection, based on Schön's (1987) "reflection-on-action" model, to establish a way forward for the project. Through these reflections, the following critical themes were identified: (1) rewards for cross-cultural exchange; (2) multiple appreciations for collaboration; and (3) communication and miscommunication in cross-disciplinary groups. These themes provide an account of the practical implications for activities geared towards the agenda of internationalising higher educational practices, such as those applied in conducting this project. The contribution we hope to make is that, as HEIs enter onto internationalisation agendas, the voices and experiences of students should be recognised if, as important beneficiaries of the university system, they are to be properly considered.