Understanding Intermediary Organizations Facilitated University-Industry Collaborative Project-Based Learning In Higher Education

Abstract

The current study explores the outcomes, key elements involved and enabling environment of Intermediary Organizations (IOs) Facilitated University-Industry Collaborative Project-Based Learning (PBL) in higher education, with a specific focus on its implementation. Despite the practical benefits of University-Industry Collaborative PBL facilitated by IOs such as the Demola projects, there has been limited scholarly attention given to such PBL. To fill this research gap, this study examines the effectiveness and organizational matters of Demola-mediated PBL by adopting a case study design and using Demola as a case of IOs. The findings indicate that Demola projects have enormous advantages for students, industries, and universities, particularly regarding students' competence development. The success of Demola projects hinges on the co-creation of university student teams, company representatives, and Demola facilitators within the effective frameworks and tools provided by Demola. To establish and nourish a regional Demola program, the synergies of government, industry, and university as three key stakeholders are fundamental, with individual institutional entrepreneurs playing pivotal roles. This study proposes intermediary organizations facilitated university-industry collaborative PBL as a cost-effective approach for supporting students' competence development. It contributes to the discussion on this topic and offers practical implications for various stakeholders in higher education, including university managers and faculties, government education policymakers, and education entrepreneurs.