Partnerships between universities and workplaces: some challenges for work-integrated learning

Abstract

Under contemporary highly competitive markets, organisations are demanding that any investment in learning be converted into productive outcomes that rapidly progress the organisation towards pre-defined strategic goals. A customised work-integrated learning curriculum has the potential to achieve such productive outcomes because it allows learners to quickly contextualise the study content within the socio-cultural and functional environment of the workplace. However, the development of a work-integrated learning curriculum relies on genuine partnerships between the universities and organisations. These types of partnerships require lengthy processes of negotiating the curriculum and pedagogies to support learning based in the workplace. Predictably, such partnerships challenge the traditional roles of the universities as transmitters of discipline specific knowledge and workplaces as less active partners in the learning processes and products. This paper is based on a case study and relates the challenges of developing a partnership, the transformed role of the academics and a more complex design and facilitation of the curriculum. What became evident was that such a partnership was problematic and demanded redistribution of knowledge-power relations between the university and the host organisation. The findings substantiate that successful work-integrated learning that meets the needs of individuals and their workplaces is premised on a learning partnership where the roles for the curriculum and pedagogy are genuinely shared. That such partnerships are integral to successful work-integrated learning and deeply problematic begs for more research to understand the dynamics and ways to approach learning partnerships between universities and organisations.

Enhancing graduate employability and the need for university-enterprise collaboration

“…The integration of theory and practice will only be enhanced when strategies are adequately resourced and well prepared for all, not only students, but also employers and university coordinators. This can only be achieved through a close partnership between universities and workplaces (Choy & Delahaye, 2011;Cooper et al, 2010;Ferns et al, 2014;Patrick et al, 2008;Peach et al, 2012).…”

“…Enterprises also need to provide students with suitable induction, training, a positive learning environment, guidance and mentoring (Peach, Larkin, & Ruinard, 2012). These can only be achieved through a strong partnership between universities and enterprises (Choy & Delahaye, 2011;Cooper et al, 2010;Ferns et al, 2014;Patrick et al, 2008;Peach et al, 2012). It also requires mutual understanding about each other's practices in order to design appropriate programs and to provide prompt support for students during the process of integrating theory to practice.…”

Self-care and entrepreneurism: an ethnography of soft skills development for higher education staff

“…Third, the ability of LDPs to challenge learners (Choy and Delahaye 2011), and promote self-governance in an insecure work environment (Briscoe et al 2012) was borne out by our study findings. Responses from participants suggested positive changes in self-worth and self-efficacy, but few changes in attitudes towards the organisation or society (Mezirow 1991).…”

“…As a form of continuing education with elements of work-integrated learning (Choy and Delahaye 2011), LDPs offer and fulfill some important practical and affective functions for their participants. First, they allow staff to engage in a range of reflexive, experiential learning activities which they can effectively apply in 'real world' contexts (Boud, Cressey, and Docherty 2006).…”

Institutional enabling strategies

“…Each prong of activity can complement the others in building knowledge and practice, fostering a symbiotic relationship between partners. For success, common goals to collaborative work that address mutual benefits to all stakeholders need to be developed, with both partners working towards the goal through a close partnership (Choy & Delahaye, 2011;Cooper, et al, 2010;Peach, Larkin, & Ruinard, 2012). The benefits of such partnerships must be reciprocal, including enriching authentic learning experiences for students, reputational effects for universities, providing a 'talent pipeline' for industry, exposure to fresh new ideas for all partners through research and practice, and improved curriculum.…”