Through my presentation I will share a model for strategic collaboration that has the potential to significantly impact the lives of communities, youth, and individuals as well as building capacity for the partnering organizations and systems that they represent. I will begin by presenting the general model, which focuses on “designing” collaboration from the foundation up with the goal of building capacity and actualizing potential. I will then explore 4 levels of application with supporting evidence, including: Buffalo Public Schools; women and children in the Kitenga village in Northern Tanzania; youth engagement and social entrepreneurism; and personal empowerment.

1. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Making BIG Things Happen Through Strategic
Collaboration.
Mara B. Huber, Ph.D.
Why is collaboration so important?
Share a flexible model for strategic collaboration
2 Applications:
•Buffalo Public Schools Partnership
•Buffalo Tanzania Project
Lessons Learned
Discussion

2. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Why so important?
Increasing expectations for (educational) partnerships
POLICY
Emphasis on partnerships
MANDATES
that are: RFP’S
√ Equitable SENSE OF
URGENCY
√ Innovative
√ Impactful
√ Sustainable DWINDLING
RESOURCES
√ Transformative
New expectations for partnerships AND partners

3. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Inherent Appeal of Partnerships
**Needs:
Needs:
• Students
• Teachers • Placements
• Administrators • Research
• Prof. dev • Grants
• Expertise • Opportunities
• Opportunities • Improved
• Resources models
• Improved models
We need one another to fulfill our respective missions

4. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Partnerships are often built on unstable foundations
RESOURCES
EXPECTATIONS
PARTNERSHIP
Weak foundation can result in limited impact

5. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Partnerships are surprisingly complex
• intercultural differences
• interpersonal differences
• historical baggage
• stereotypes
• power imbalances
• changing personnel
• lack of accountability
Challenge of bringing together such disparate systems/cultures

6. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Many partnership models are highly localized
• focus on specific grant programs
• limited participation
• limited understanding
• communication limited to kick-off
• leadership may change
• expertise specific to content
Opportunity for impact is inherently limited

7. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
How to address challenges to maximize
impact?

8. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Simple Process Model
√ Build foundation on trust, respect, and understanding
√ Identify areas of shared interest that are at the right level
√ Seed core programs in focus domains
√ Study and communicate impact
√ BUILD CAPACITY

9. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Example: UB‐ Buffalo Public Schools Partnership
1. Building foundation: shared position
2. Areas of focus:
‐research and evaluation
‐ academic acceleration
‐college readiness
‐strategic support

10. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Example: UB‐ Buffalo Public Schools Partnership
3. Seed signature programs
‐ R & E: Extended Learning Opportunity Program
‐ Summer STEM camps
‐ Buffalo Partnership Scholarship Program
‐ informal counsel and facilitation
4. Study and communicate impact
Evaluation contracts; newsletters; website; presentations; articles

11. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Example: UB‐ Buffalo Public Schools Partnership
4. Build Capacity
‐ evolution of summer STEM
‐ expansion to after school
‐ grant applications
‐ development of “Pathways” including Civic Pathways
‐ evolution of University piece including Destination College
‐ expansion of model to international venue

12. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Example: Buffalo Tanzania Education Project
1. Laying the foundation:
2009 trip; IHSA
2. Identifying areas of focus:
education; health; economics;
infrastructure
3. Seeding Signature Programs
Early Childhood School; Secondary School; Solar Cookers; Water

13. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Example: Buffalo Tanzania Education Project
4. Studying and Communicating
Impact
solar cooker research; focus groups
website; videos; presentations…
5. Building Capacity
community partners
research group
public health project
class
wiki site

14. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
Lessons Learned
√ Importance of leadership
√ Importance of strategic planning
√ Value of stepping away from the work
√ Need for clear accountability on both sides
√ Partnership must be built on respect, trust, and understanding
√ Notion of partner readiness
It is possible to build strong, sustainable, impactful partnerships

15. UB Center for Educational Collaboration
How far can we go?
√ Importance of mission
√ Importance of process
√ Power of historical tendencies……
If left to their own natural course, partnerships will not live up to our
hopes and expectations…. Must be created and maintained by design