The Current Nature of Australian School-University Partnerships: A Literature Review

Abstract

In recent years, collaborative and deliberate school-university partnerships have been advocated and implemented within initial teacher education. As explored in a recent systematic literature review (Green et al. in Asia–Pac J Teach Educ 48:403–435, 2020b), these partnerships have mutual benefits for all stakeholders. This chapter provides a literature review that builds upon (Green et al. in Asia–Pac J Teach Educ 48:403–435, 2020b) work using academic and grey literature published during 2015–2020. The chapter focusses on the fundamental qualities and models of school-university partnerships in Australia from multiple stakeholders’ perspectives. We identify five key themes: partnership structure; partnership activities; partnership aims; respect and reciprocity within the partnership; and sustainability of the partnership. Exploring these themes allows us to further deepen our understanding of these partnerships, providing implications for teaching practice and informing varied stakeholders in the field of education. In doing so, this chapter foreshadows the remainder of this book, wherein examples of research and practice in partnership are presented.