Institutional perspectives on Students as Partners

Using organizational frames to understand contours of the work

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v10i2.6790

Keywords:

Students as Partners, Four Frames, institutional context, comparative study, Bolman and Deal

Abstract

The importance of institutional context on the shape and practice of Students as Partners (SaP) is well acknowledged. However, to date, there has been limited investigation into how institutional factors influence SaP programs and practice. This paper addresses this gap through a comparative case study analysis of Students as Partners at two research-intensive universities. Drawing on institutional documents, web materials, and teaching and learning publications, our analysis applies Bolman and Deal’s (2021) Four Frames analysis to our two contexts. Further, through institutional metaphors, we highlight how SaP has taken root as a centralized organism at one campus, compared to a distributed ecology at the other, an analysis that can help practitioners understand the most fertile institutional ground for their own SaP initiatives. This study contributes to SaP scholarship by offering a novel theoretical lens for leaders and practitioners to conceptualize institutional influence on student partnership programs.

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Author Biographies

Jessica K. Frawley, University of Sydney

Jessica K. Frawley is a Senior Lecturer in Academic Development and Leadership at the University of Sydney, where she leads educational initiatives within the Educational Innovation division of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) Portfolio. Jessica is the academic lead for institutional approaches to Students as Partners. She is author to the The Green Guide – Enhancing the learning experiences of students from equity backgrounds and The University of Sydney Student Partnership Charter. 

Matthew L. Goode, Brown University

Matthew L. Goode is Director of Operations and the Brown Learning Collaborative, and Faculty Affiliate (Education), at Brown University (United States). He previously served as Assistant Director for Operations and Program Management in the Center for Teaching Excellence at Boston College (U.S.). He teaches undergraduate courses on intercultural competence and is a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory.

Mary C. Wright, University of Sydney

Mary C. Wright is Professor of Educational Scholarship at Educational Innovation, DVC (Education) at University of Sydney (Australia). She previously served as Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning, Executive Director of the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning, and Professor (Research) of Sociology at Brown University (US). Her most recent book is Centers for Teaching and Learning: The New Landscape of Higher Education (Johns Hopkins Press, 2023).

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Published

2026-07-27

How to Cite

Frawley, J., Goode, M., & Wright, M. (2026). Institutional perspectives on Students as Partners: Using organizational frames to understand contours of the work . International Journal for Students as Partners, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.15173/ijsap.v10i2.6790

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026)

Section

Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Jessica K. Frawley, Matthew L. Goode, Mary C. Wright

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