Research–practice partnerships in education: Lessons from the United States

In response to a proposal to reframe the ‘research into practice’ agenda in UK education using partnership working, this paper examines a type of collaborative research known as a research–practice partnership (RPP), drawing on models established in education in the United States. It examines their characteristics and what has been learnt from several decades of experience before reflecting on the relevance of this literature for the UK context. RPPs can allow researchers to gain a better understanding of practice problems and, by involving practitioners and local policymakers, the resulting research is likely to be more relevant to local users. The paper highlights the importance of relationship building, considerations around locus of power and issues related to boundary working. It considers aspects of the underlying research infrastructure in the United Kingdom relevant to partnership working, including the role of local authorities, research funding structures and the general research environment. Changes to the Research Excellence Framework and funders' requirements, as well as shifts in policy approaches to research, all suggest that support for more collaborative working in the United Kingdom may be growing.