Facilitating Academic Engagement with Society: A Bonding Social Capital Approach to Self-Determination

This study examines how academic engagement with society can be facilitated by higher education institution (HEI) managers by studying academics’ needs and their managers’ support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (i.e., the determinants of self-determination). Interviews were conducted with managers (n=6) and academics (n=16) affiliated with HEIs from the Hochschulallianz für den Mittelstand in Germany. The findings indicate alignment and gaps between managers and academics. First, the need and support for autonomy were present. Second, managers suggested that academics had relevant competencies, but academics indicated they had a lack of such competencies. Third, managers perceived that there was a strong collaboration between academics; however, academics reported that they experience negative peer effects when collaborating with society. Aiming to bridge the gap using a bonding social capital approach, HEI managers are recommended to strengthen academics’ sense of belonging to an HEI and to promote access to capital and competencies that are within the HEI’s internal network.