The Difficult Art of Partnership and Institutional Commitment

This paper looks at two aspects of institutional development in a university setting. It looks at how the design of South – North collaboration may have a bearing on the type of partnership that evolves. And it addresses the issue of how institutional commitment influences the depth and intensity of change processes. The paper will firstly examine the underlying assumptions that guide designs of South – North collaboration and how both deliberate and unintended consequences may influence the nature of the partnership between the involved institutions, especially while evolving and expanding such partnerships. The paper will also address the issue of institutional commitment as the impact of partnerships to a large degree depends on the breadth and depth of the institutional commitment. The aim is to identify the essential elements of institutional commitment in successful partnerships for institutional change. Finally, it will provide recommendations for best practise in establishing partnerships with institutional commitment within the university sector.