From transfer to transformation: adapting global templates to national, local, and institutional contexts

Global templates constitute one of the most disruptive forms of change in higher education. Policies, practices and assumptions from one context are translated to a different local context via global templates, potentially leading to university transformation. Paradoxically, the application of templates rarely results in true university transformation because their implementation tends to be in the hands of institutional actors that are frequently invested in minimizing disruptive change, or because the templates are inconsistent with the culture of the host organization adopting them. This chapter explores the shortcomings of global templates as a mechanism for transformation by discussing recent examples of the application of global templates related to the academic workforce, the establishment and legitimation of institutional competition and position taking, and the digitalization of teaching and learning. These examples from around world make evident the risks of uncritically adopting global templates, and signal the need for thoughtful adaptation.