Developing a ‘trust’ indicator for university knowledge exchange

About

At a time of deteriorating public trust in higher education institutions, there is increased questioning of the relevance of universities in society and a heightened ambiguity around the university’s identity and position, being a public institution operating in a commercialised and marketised context and often adopting corporate business practices.

To survive, universities must engage and collaborate more closely and in more socially responsible ways with the education sector, government, businesses, non-profit sectors and the wider society. Universities need to adopt a trustworthy approach to build stronger and more enduring relationships with their stakeholder groups.

Aim

This research explores trust barometers as a valid indicator for an effective and healthy relationship: in other words, an ethical, equitable, reciprocal and mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and expertise. This research aims to develop a trust indicator for university knowledge exchange. This tool could be used as an effective ‘barometer’ that informs stakeholders about the quality, depth and impact of research collaborations and partnerships.

Researchers

• Dr Siew Fang Law, The University of Melbourne

Funding

Melbourne Graduate School of Education Researcher Development Scheme

Outcomes

Proposed outcomes include a proof of concept, journal article and conference presentation.

More information

Dr Siew Fang Law, Melbourne CSHE, The University of Melbourne