Sandra's secrets of collaboration:
Openness to the experience and what it brings
Recognition of our human nature and the need for being with other
We can - and must? - make time and space for each other. Hold onto the in-between spaces where we can come together; create meetings without agendas, where things can emerge.
Collaboration is more than simply working with others. It’s more, even, than working successfully with others. It is, rather, a direct pathway towards social justice through its absolute commitment to equality. Universities therefore have a social obligation to do collaboration well, both internally and with external partners, which means raising up marginalised voices and dismantling power relationships. Our students need to experience positive learning experiences with other people. There are undoubtedly challenges: working to a deadline (and bringing others along to it); ensuring space for everyone to contribute; being conscious of our own bias and preconceptions. But these are all within our gift. Reclaim your agency! That way true collaboration lies. If you would like to explore what this means with Sandra, this is your invitation to reach out and have a conversation.
The resources we mentioned
Devisch, I. (2006). The Sense of Being(-) with Jean-Luc Nancy. Culture Machine vol. 8. Available at: https://culturemachine.net/community/the-sense-of-being/
Robertson, N. S. and Neuhaus, F. (2024). The asocial society and urban form in Canada: A scoping study. Canadian Journal of Urban Research 33(1)
And the books we talked about
Abegglen, S., Burns, T., Heller, R., Madhok, R., Neuhaus, F., Sinfield, S. and Gitanjali Singh, U. (Eds.) (2025) Stories of hope: Reimagining education. Open Book Publishers. Available at: https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0462
Abegglen, S., Burns, T. & Sinfield, S. (Eds.) (2023). Higher education collaboration: A new ecology of practice. Bloomsbury.
