An integrated framework for strategic institutional partnerships: A mixed methods case study of higher education at a TAFE institute

This study investigates the workings of three higher education partnerships with Holmesglen Institute – a public Technical and Further Education (TAFE) provider based in Melbourne, Australia. Anecdotally, some such partnerships succeed more than others, but no systematic study has yet been conducted to support that claim empirically, possibly because partnership performance is difficult to measure. Partnerships often have multiple objectives, and their performance can be analysed at different levels. A further performance problem concerns whether organisations can build partnership management capability for beneficial outcomes.
The study therefore sought to answer two questions:
1. Why are some partnerships more successful than others?
2. How can organisations build institutional capability to enhance partnership management and success?