Critical Perspectives on Global Partnerships in Higher Education: Strategies for Inclusion, Social Impact, and Effectiveness

Abstract

This special issue focuses on three areas of concern related to global higher education partnerships: (1) a lack of inclusion; (2) a lack of social impact; and (3) a lack of institutional effectiveness. Accordingly, this special issue has three primary objectives. The first objective is to critically challenge the exclusionary nature of global higher education partnerships, which are too often the domain of elite institutions and wealthy countries. To this end, this special issue emphasizes the power of action research, as well as the development of thoughtful and impactful partnerships between Global North and Global South countries, in enabling positive societal change. The second objective is to argue that global higher education partnerships are not, nor should they be, immune to social movements (such as the emergence of the #MeToo movement) or geopolitical events (such as demonstrations and protests to counter fascist leaders, police violence, and the exploitation of migrant workers). Rather, global partnerships should martial their significant intellectual and financial resources to enlarge public discourse, promote the public good, and support marginalized individuals. The third objective is to offer compelling evidence and strategies for how global higher education partnerships can be effective in different cultural environments, national systems of higher education, and institutional configurations. In summary, this special issue argues that the global higher education partnerships of the future should be reciprocally valuable operations that are transparent, inclusive, and socially impactful for meaningful cultural and intellectual exchange.