Sustaining Corporate-private HEI Collaboration in Jakarta, Indonesia
Abstract
With the spirit of decentralization conducted in Indonesia since 2003, there are
collaboration established between corporate and private HEI in Jakarta. Engagement with
corporation in fact would enhance the quality of education by presenting hands on corporate
experiences to students through learning activity (Tam, 2007). However, in spite of the
potential of corporate-private HEI collaboration to enhance the quality of education,
incorporating two different organizations into one collaboration is not an easy thing to do.
Siregar (2007) ellaborated that the challenge in connecting education and corporation is on
understanding the needs of each institution. As a qualitative study, this research ellaborate
strategies used by both corporate and HEI to solve problems in the collaboration. The
findings show that consistencycy with the initial agreement is a significant key to sustain the
different forms of partnerships.
BACKGROUND
In Jakarta as an urban area, educational institutions in fact closely live side by side
with private sectors. With the spirit of decentralization conducted in Indonesia since 2003,
there are more and more higher educational institution, especially the private ones, sharing
their responsibility to conduct education with community. There are even resources supplied
especially between corporate and private HEI in various form of collaboration because
engagement with corporation would enhance the quality of education by presenting hands on
corporate experiences to students through learning activity (Tam, 2007).
However, in spite of the potential of corporate-private HEI collaboration to enhance
the quality of education, incorporating two different organizations into one collaboration is not
an easy thing to do. There is a fear from HEI of the influence from corporate to the university
administrators to be more profit-oriented than person-oriented (Schiller and Bimbler, 2009)
In Indonesian context, Siregar (2007) ellaborated that the challenge in connecting education
and corporation is on understanding the needs of each institution. He mentioned that
practically in most collaboration the resources supplied from corporate to HEI are the
resources that are not really needed by the HEI. Indeed there are bunches of problem that
can be accommodated through several strategies.
There are initially various studies exploring Corporate-HEI collaboration, successfully
mapping out and describing mutual relation in collaboration. However, there are only limited
studies describing the problems and strategies to sustain the collaboration. Therefore, this
study intends to search strategies used by both corporate and HEI to solve problems in the
collaboration.
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
This study will be based on an early exploration on the possible tensions and the
views of academics and administrators toward the partnership was raised by Campbell and
Slaughter (1999). Based on the study by Campbell (1995, 1997, as cited in Campbel and
Slaughter, 1999), the tensions that are most likely to emerge from potential conflict of
interests which covers financial issues as revenue-generating through patents and licensing.
Another cause for tension is insufficiency of participation of the member of both sectors of
the partnership (Sanders, 2001). Involving faculty members is a problem since they do not
know whom and how to contact the key person in the industry. Engaging them to
communicate with the partners entails much time perhaps due to lack of training. There is
sometimes a necessity to reach out beyond faculty members as volunteers to coordinate the
partnership activities.
METHODS, TECHNIQUES
This study is a qualitative study, which emphasize on the qualities of entities and on
processes on meanings that are not experimentally examined in terms of quantity, amount, intensity,
or frequency (Denzin and Lincoln, 2003). Its nature as a qualitative research then will provide an
understanding over complex relationship, which makes use of no single method but rather a
spectrum of methods belonging to different approaches.
As a case study, this study makes use of semi-structured interview and document analysis to
examine the problems and how the problems solved in corporate- private HEI collaboration in
Jakarta, Indonesia.
DATA SOURCES
The respondents of the study were purposively selected from the two HEIs under
study based on the predetermined criteria. The respondents from each selected HEI include
2 administrators and 5 faculty members.
RESULTS
Consistent with the initial agreement is a significant key to sustain the different forms
of partnerships. It indicates that both education and corporation have good intention to
establish partnerships. Commitment toward the partnerships is also strengthened when both
parties have good intentions. The educational institutions and their partner corporations are
open and explicit in communicating their expectations toward the partnerships, which they
contracted. Simple communications were done both in verbal and written forms. Meisny and
Mailhot (2007) suggest that the element of good communication forestalls the expectation
gap which is related to the feeling of “being in the dark” and the absence of structured and
clear approach. Open communication supports the establishment of the element of trust
between the private HEIs and their partner corporations. Harman (2001) raises the issue that
might be blocking or slowing down of the free flow of research findings among members of
the academic community and the public.
Regarding the partnerships identified in the select private HEIs, Seminar and Training
and External Mentoring gain strong commitment of the personnel of both parties. These
partnerships and their levels of commitment are Collective with regard to the involvement
among the Executives, Mid-level Executives, and corporate employees. Their acts are driven
by the intention to manage knowledge, develop human resource, and build community.
Meanwhile, Internship, Recruitment, Sponsorship, and Research partnerships are rather
flexible partnerships. These types of partnerships and levels of commitment is Collaborative
since Mid-level Executives and corporate employees are actively involved and driven by the
willingness to build community, develop human resources, manage knowledge, and build
image. In addition, Company Visit involves Mid-Level Executives solely in planning,
organizing, implementing, and monitoring partnership with the motivation to manage
knowledge. Hence, this type of partnership and level of commitment is Comprehensive.
EDUCATIONAL IMPORTANCE OF THIS STUDY
The result of this study enriches educational management theory, practice, and
research. As a theory, the findings offer strategies to accommodate or solve mismatch
corporate-HEI collaboration and be the basis of policy making for the collaboration. This
finding shall convince administrators and corporate actors that winding road in corporate-HEI
collaboration will bring betterment for both side.
CONNECTION TO THE THEMES
This study redefines Education, Learning, and Teaching in 21st century by presenting
strategies to conduct qualified education through corporate-private HEI collaboration. The
research is specifically aligned with Future Thinking as the subtheme since this research
taking out corporate-private HEI collaboration as one idea to provide intersector collaboration
in the 21st century.
REFFERENCES
Campbell, T.I.D, & Slaughter, S. (1999). Faculty and Administrators’ Attitudes
Toward Potential Conflicts of Interest, Commitment, and Equity in
University-Industry Relationship. The Journal of Higher Education, 70(3),
309-352.
Sanders, M.G. (2003). Community Involvement in Schools: From Concept to
Practice. Education and Urban Society, 35, 161-180.
Sanders, M.G. (2001). The Role of “Community” in Comprehensive School, Family,
and Community Partnership Programs. The Elementary School Journal,
102(1), 19-34.
Schiller, D. and Liefner, I. (2007). Higher Education Funding Reform and UniversityIndustry Links in Developing Countries: The Case of Thailand. Higher
Education, 54, 543-556.
Tam, F.W. (2007). Rethinking School and Community Relations in Hong Kong.
International Journal of Educational Management, 21(4), 350-366.
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