Developing successful partnerships Sherri Bell, President Camosun College, Victoria, BC Canada

EVERY PARTNERSHIP STARTS BY BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP It takes time….. building relationships, both personal and professional, are key to successful partnerships.  Face to face is important both sides must be willing to invest in the face to face relationship Our relationship with Josai International University is our longest international partnership, created in 1992 and has spanned many visits by our respective leaders, faculty and students

In an international partnership it is important to understand culture and educational context Important to recognize the national higher education goals and priorities of each country/province involved in the development of a partnership.  EG. Is it related to student exchange, 2+2?  Important that there is understanding an alignment of goals

Start small and build with “like” institutions Keep the number of partnerships small but make the ones you have deep and wide… have at least one program annually at one or the other institution…. Can be student, faculty or leadership related but the contact is important. Having lots of partnership agreements may look good on your website but what is important is the real impact they have on your institution, faculty and students.

Face to face is key on every level Nothing can replace face to face. It takes time and financial commitment but it is key to long term success. Especially important in order to bridge leadership changes which naturally happen in every institution. Technology, like video conferencing, can’t replace a meal or a significant time spent together if possible

Jointly determine needs, priorities, deliverables Creating an MoU that has these kinds of details can be very helpful for reviewing the needs priorities and deliverables . I It is important to update these from time to time as organizations needs and priorities will change over time.

Clarity for success Expectations Work Plan – 5W, outcomes and measurements In writing Review

Work through differences and uncomfortable topics For example: Costs are not always equal, sometimes partners need to recognize that one partner will need to assist another to manage costs, usually related to accommodation and staff costs that are higher in the west. Make sure all of your team are on the same page.

Over communicate Communication is key…. Sometimes cultural barriers are caused by not enough communication. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarifications if a communication is not clear. Email response is key…. Don’t leave emails unanswered. If you don’t have a clear answer to a difficult question from your partner let them know if it is difficult but you will get back to them after you have consulted your colleagues

Faculty and students create lasting partnerships While leadership relationships are important at the outset it is the faculty and student relationships that will fuel the success of the relationship over the long term. Make sure you build in ways for these to happen on a regular basis.

Ongoing relationships include students and faculty

Thank you QUESTIONS