(Image credit: MWewering from Pixabay)
In a world where education spans continents and learning communities extend beyond physical campuses, consortiums offer a powerful way to bring people together around shared values. A consortium is generally understood as a formal or semi-formal association of institutions or groups that collaborate toward common goals by pooling expertise, resources, and opportunities (Littleworth & Qazi, 2017). In terms of education, consortiums strengthen the fabric of communities by creating intentional spaces where members unite around a shared vision. Consortiums can help us move beyond isolation, tapping into collective wisdom and shared ideas, innovation, research, and resources to build stronger, more resilient networks.
Consortiums dedicated to academic integrity serve a particularly vital purpose. These groups bring together individuals and institutions across different geographical regions to uphold ethical practices, advance integrity education, and foster a culture of honesty in teaching and learning.
At their core, consortiums, whether regional, national, or global, anchor communities by creating hubs of collaboration. They connect educators, leaders, researchers, and students who are driven by the shared belief that academic integrity is not just policy, but a cornerstone of meaningful education. When we come together across boundaries to support one we create a stronger, more united academic community.
I am now thrilled to be assuming a new role as the International Center for Academic Integrity’s Consortium Coordinator. In this role I hope to support, inspire, and coordinate communication and processes that will strengthen existing consortiums and promote the formation of new consortiums.
If you are interested in more information about this initiative please feel free to reach out to me at jmiron@academicintegrity.org I look forward to speaking to you and to supporting any and all work you plan around creating, maintaining, or growing your academic integrity consortium.
References
Littleworth, R. & Qazi, A.(2017, August 4). The power of a higher education consortium. Educause Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/8/the-power-of-a-higher-education-consortium
Jennie Miron is a full-time professor and academic integrity lead in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Humber Polytechnic in Toronto, Canada.
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