Understanding university enterprise collaboration for disaster resilience in South-East Asia

Purpose: This paper is part of the ERASMUS+-funded Strengthening University Enterprise Collaboration for Resilient Communities in Asia (SECRA) project. This study aims to map collaborative architecture between partner universities and the public/private sectors to provide a contextualised collaboration framework for disaster resilience (DR) in South-East Asia.

Design/methodology/approach: Documentary reviews were conducted in partner countries to establish the current context of university enterprise collaborations (UEC) in South-East Asia. A concept-centric approach permitted the synthesis of concepts from each country review, allowing for comparisons between collaborative practices that impact the success of DR collaborations. 

Findings: The review identified that funding, continuity, long-term strategic plans and practical implementation are lacking in partner countries. However, each country demonstrated good practices and identified enablers and barriers that impact DR collaborations. Research limitations/implications: The synthesis revealed a lack of a practical understanding of real-world barriers. Further research is needed to understand real-world experiences in DR collaborations and to provide insights into barriers, enablers and good practices in DR collaborations. Gaining an “on-the-ground” perspective will provide detailed insights and the feasibility of implementation. Practical implications: The findings provide the foundations for developing a heuristic UEC framework that can inform policies and practices for DR in partner countries. Social implications: The findings can inform various stakeholder policies and practices and promote the exchange of ideas between stakeholders to enhance DR in South-East Asia. Originality/value: The results are relevant within the South-East Asian, as governments have intensified the adoption of measures to encourage UEC for DR.