Abstract

Faced with increasing pressure to generate more of their own budgets, universities in low and middle income countries are increasingly banding together as country and regional-level networks to bid on and subsequently implement externally funded development projects (a pattern already seen in high income countries). While working as a network may offer a competitive advantage in bidding on international contracts, it also introduces a new set of dynamics in cross border collaboration among higher education institutions. This paper examines the dynamics of university networks, drawing on the experience of one regional and four country-level networks in South East Asia which were created to promote better national preparation and response to pandemic threats. Findings suggest that, in many universities, university efforts to work through networks is a source of considerable controversy as it pushes institutions and individuals into new roles and often conflicts with existing institution-level incentive systems.

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