Finding community through an academic development collective: overcoming constraints through strategic collaboration

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores the experiences of academic developers engaged in creating a cross-institutional community, the Academic Development Collective (ADC). The ADC was formed to address inequities in resources for educational development across institutions in one U.S. state. Semi-structured interviews with 7 participants were used in a case study approach to examining how the ADC emerged from reacting to crises into a more proactive role addressing inequities in academic development. Findings revealed that participation in the ADC provided members with empathetic support and critical friends, and that cross-institutional collaboration enabled collective action. Members described how distributing expertise through initiatives drove systemic change, particularly in increasing equitable access to faculty development opportunities through resource-sharing. Engagement with the ADC enabled members to expand their capacities, share resources, and provide enhanced development opportunities for local faculty/staff. Recommendations include prioritizing diverse strengths, fostering collaborations beyond resource-sharing, balancing ameliorative and transformative strategies, and institutional investment in leadership and facilitation of collectives. This research illuminates how academic developers can build supportive professional communities to mitigate institutional inequities and transform existing structures through collective action.