Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovation

In this fast and unprecedented changing world, graduate students are to be competent in dealing with the social problems and contribute to uplift the communities and save the planet they are living in. It is undeniable that academics play a crucial role in helping students to achieve the mentioned o...

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Main Authors: Hai-Ninh Do, Thi Kim Thanh Do
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2473242
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author Hai-Ninh Do
Thi Kim Thanh Do
author_facet Hai-Ninh Do
Thi Kim Thanh Do
author_sort Hai-Ninh Do
collection DOAJ
description In this fast and unprecedented changing world, graduate students are to be competent in dealing with the social problems and contribute to uplift the communities and save the planet they are living in. It is undeniable that academics play a crucial role in helping students to achieve the mentioned outcomes. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors influencing the pursuit of institutional work for social innovation among academics in Vietnamese higher education institutions (HEIs). A qualitative research design along with the theories of self-determination and institutional work was deployed. Twelve participants, who are practitioners, researchers and lecturers from a social enterprise and seven universities across Vietnam, were invited to join seven deep interviews conducted in the form of individual conversations and focus groups. A hybrid methodology of both inductive and deductive reasoning provides significant opportunities to approach and obtain the robust analysis of the empirical data. Apart from the findings of specific needs that successfully motivate the academics, the study also highlights the factors influencing SI promotion among academics in Vietnamese HEIs. Feasible initiatives are also recommended for practitioners seeking to cultivate social innovation within HEIs. The study also offers avenues for further research and exploration in the domain of psychological needs and institutional work.
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spelling doaj-art-7b7bbd08e2de4f9cac5a1e9b4c5878dc2025-08-20T02:29:55ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2025-12-0112110.1080/2331186X.2025.2473242Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovationHai-Ninh Do0Thi Kim Thanh Do1School of International Business- Marketing, College of Business, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Hochiminh City, VietnamUEH Institute of Innovation, College of Design and Technology, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Hochiminh City, VietnamIn this fast and unprecedented changing world, graduate students are to be competent in dealing with the social problems and contribute to uplift the communities and save the planet they are living in. It is undeniable that academics play a crucial role in helping students to achieve the mentioned outcomes. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors influencing the pursuit of institutional work for social innovation among academics in Vietnamese higher education institutions (HEIs). A qualitative research design along with the theories of self-determination and institutional work was deployed. Twelve participants, who are practitioners, researchers and lecturers from a social enterprise and seven universities across Vietnam, were invited to join seven deep interviews conducted in the form of individual conversations and focus groups. A hybrid methodology of both inductive and deductive reasoning provides significant opportunities to approach and obtain the robust analysis of the empirical data. Apart from the findings of specific needs that successfully motivate the academics, the study also highlights the factors influencing SI promotion among academics in Vietnamese HEIs. Feasible initiatives are also recommended for practitioners seeking to cultivate social innovation within HEIs. The study also offers avenues for further research and exploration in the domain of psychological needs and institutional work.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2473242Academicssocial innovationhigher educationself-determination theoryinstitutional work theoryVietnam
spellingShingle Hai-Ninh Do
Thi Kim Thanh Do
Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovation
Cogent Education
Academics
social innovation
higher education
self-determination theory
institutional work theory
Vietnam
title Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovation
title_full Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovation
title_fullStr Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovation
title_full_unstemmed Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovation
title_short Transforming higher education: motivating academics for social innovation
title_sort transforming higher education motivating academics for social innovation
topic Academics
social innovation
higher education
self-determination theory
institutional work theory
Vietnam
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2473242
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