Inaugural Lecture: 'Strengthening professional collaboration in the public sector in the digital era'

Strengthening professional collaboration in the public sector in the digital era: insights from a rapid transformation and reflections on the future of collaboration

In an increasingly complex world facing societal and economic challenges concerning sustainability and digitisation, professionals in the public sector play a quintessential role creating new approaches for and solutions for these challenges. The professionals must cooperate in teams so that they combine talents and knowledge to deliver good work.

Professor Monika Foster will explore the intricacies of professional collaboration in a digital era based on a study within higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Her inaugural lecture will explore three broad themes in collaboration in the digital era including the necessary factors for collaboration, the impact of digitization on collaboration, and the future of professional collaboration. 

Her lecture will offer valuable insights for academia and other institutions in the public sector on how to support professional collaboration, contributing to the development of targeted strategies and policies to foster effective collaboration in the digital landscape.

About the Speaker

Professor Monika Foster is the Head of Department Marketing, Operations and Systems at the Faculty of Business and Law and Professor of Business Education. Her previous role was the Head of Sunderland Business School. Professor Foster has worked in Business Schools in the UK, Europe and Far East for over 30 years and led a number of international, cross-institutional and interdisciplinary projects to scope and design mechanisms for assisting students with transitions. Monika’s particularly proud of her study of international student transitions funded by the QAA Enhancement Theme Student Transitions and her latest Routledge publication on Building Intercultural Learner Relationships: Towards a critical pedagogy for higher education in a multicultural globalising world.

Professor Foster’s research interests lie in cross-cultural management, employability, internationalization of higher education, intercultural aspects, and leadership and change management (HR). Furthermore, her research interests include developing social capital, international mobility, study destination choices and internationalisation of the curriculum. Professor Foster has previously led Research Centre for Management Learning and Business Education at Sunderland Business School, with Business Educator Working Paper Series.

Monika’s external recognition includes the award of National Teaching Fellow for her contributions to the development of a national framework for internationalisation of the curriculum. Monika was also awarded Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a title of Visiting Professor from Shandong University of Finance, China. She is a Certified Business and Management Educator (CMBE) with Chartered ABS. Monika has served on a number of national committees and advisory bodies influencing HE policy, including  Chartered Association of Business Schools’ Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Committee, the Advisory Board to HEA Internationalisation Framework and HEA ‘Leading Transformation in Learning and Teaching’ influencing HE pedagogy nationally.