Partnered research and emergent variation

Developing a set of characteristics for identifying complexity in higher education partnerships

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12576752
AutoresGeoff Woolcott (0000-0003-0094-7256, Southern Cross University), Leonard (0000-0002-7914-356X, University of South Australia, autor correspondente), Amanda Scott (0000-0002-1848-2154, Southern Cross University), Robyn Keast (0000-0002-0229-4634, Southern Cross University), Dan Chamberlain (0000-0002-9482-5171, The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia)
Ano2020
Volume43
Fascículo1
Páginas91-109
Data de publicação2020-03-17
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Higher Education Policy and Management (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1360-080X • E-ISSN: 1469-9508
EditoraRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1360080x.2020.1733734
OpenAlexW3010734456
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas60

This paper responds to a growing literature arguing that change in higher education institutions might be better understood and managed if such institutions are understood as complex systems with emergent properties. Based on complexity theory, the paper articulates a set of characteristics that might be expected if institutions are in fact acting as complex systems. The utility of these characteristics for identifying complexity in the field is tested in the context of a large partnered research project involving the mathematics, science and education colleges from six Australian universities and their local K-12 schools. The study finds evidence of subsystem variations on the initial partnership priorities, including substantial boundary crossing, leading to emergence and co-evolution, indicating that a macroscopic view of emergent variation rather than ‘micromanaging’ may be an essential factor in scaling and sustaining collaborative partnerships

Context (archaeology · Field (mathematics · General partnership · Geography · Higher education · Political science · Public relations · Set (abstract data type · Sociology · Variation (astronomy · Complex Systems and Decision Making · Computer Science · Innovative Approaches in Technology and Social Development · Mathematics · Organizational Learning and Leadership