Interfaculty collaboration for improving international mobility experiences: sustaining a dialogue across difference

Interdisciplinary collaborations are promoted in higher education, but relatively little research has been undertaken into what it means to work in these ways. This paper examines how a paradigmatically diverse group of university colleagues navigated the educational work of developing an innovative resource to support the enactment of international mobility experiences. By focusing on the journey (the negotiation of a community of practice) over the destination (the resource produced), this study provides insights into the experience of working across boundaries in higher education, what can be learnt from such work, and why it matters. Reflective ‘critical incident’ narratives were developed with the data revealing multiple challenges, tensions and opportunities. The findings support the notion that interfaculty collaborations are potentially rich and productive, but cannot be assumed as unproblematic. A key recommendation is that universities should invest significant time and effort to facilitate and support the collaborative process of educational work.