A systematic review of empirical studies on trust between universities and society

ABSTRACT The perception of universities as trustworthy institutions has been challenged by heightened public distrust in science and public institutions. In this context, understanding trust relationships between higher education institutions and society could provide vital intelligence to safeguard and grow the increasingly disrupted higher education sector. The article presents a systematic review of empirical studies that focus on trust in higher education institutions. It aims to map research trends and empirical gaps to provide insights into the state of research in this area. The review found that most research has examined trust within the university context, with significantly less attention on trust between the universities and the broader societies they serve. Within the latter, trust relationships with business and industry domains have received greater empirical attention than those with community and government. These findings have implications for purposeful and meaningful trust-based capacity and capability building at individual and institutional levels.