Cross-border university networks as a development strategy: Lessons from three university networks focused on emerging pandemic threats

David W. Chapman, Amy Pekol, Elisabeth Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cross-border university networks have recently been advocated as an effective strategy for addressing national and regional development needs while simultaneously strengthening the capacity of the participating institutions. While university-to-university partnerships generally involve two institutions collaborating to accomplish a particular activity, university networks typically involve a larger number of institutions and focus on a broader set of activities organised around a particular issue or goal. They can take on activities which would exceed the capacity of individual institutions and the intention often is to establish a longer-term, more sustainable set of relationships than are typical in university-to-university twinning arrangements. This paper synthesises key lessons which have emerged from three recent efforts of establishing multi-university networks, one in Africa and two in Asia. Their experience suggests that such networks can be a useful mechanism for promoting a social and educational agenda while at the same time strengthening the capacity of participating universities. However, findings also suggest that success is not guaranteed. While university networks can expand resources and capabilities, they also increase operational complexity. The authors’ analysis of the advantages and constraints encountered in the development and implementation of university networks aims to offer guidance to those pursuing this mechanism as a means of strengthening higher education and achieving broad development goals.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)619-637
Number of pages19
JournalInternational Review of Education
Volume60
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2014

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning.

Keywords

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Cross-border university collaboration
  • Development partnerships
  • OHCEA
  • One Health
  • Preventive health care
  • SEAOHUN
  • University networks
  • VOHUN

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