Long Term Sustainability in Global Higher Education Partnerships

Abstract

The creation of a global partnership in higher education requires a considerable investment of time and resources, yet comparatively little attention is given to long-term sustainability. As partnerships develop, multiple threats to sustainability can emerge, including divergent motivations and goals for the partnership, inadequate planning and funding volatility, leadership turnover, and poor staff morale. By drawing on existing literature, this paper argues that long-term sustainability is unlikely without four key conditions: 1) alignment in motivations and goals for the partnership; 2) the joint development of a mission statement; 3) shared leadership responsibilities among multiple individuals; and 4) an environment that promotes dialogue and opportunities for individual growth within the organization. As a final matter, the paper considers two ethical issues pertinent to contemporary global partnerships. First, it argues that expectations of governance, faculty activities, and free speech (for staff and students) should be clear and consistently upheld, especially if they differ from the expectations of the partners’ campuses. Second, it maintains that activities related to innovation should be conducted in a transparent manner, particularly if they involve potential conflicts of interest, and the potential benefits from such innovation should be widely available through a charter with society.