The Role of Institutional Support Mechanisms in Fostering Educational Innovation: A Case Study at the Nijmegen School of Management
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2025-07-11
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en
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This thesis investigates how institutional support mechanisms influence the
development and implementation of educational innovations by teachers at the Nijmegen
School of Management. The research addresses a growing need to understand how
universities can more effectively support bottom-up innovation in teaching. Drawing on a
conceptual framework that combines Rogers’ (1962) innovation adoption model with seven
institutional support mechanisms, the study employs a qualitative case study approach. Semistructured
interviews were conducted with academic innovators and institutional support
officers to explore how support is offered, perceived, and needed across different stages of
innovation. The findings reveal a tension between institutional ambition and practical support:
while various mechanisms exist, they are inconsistently applied, often informal, and
sometimes invisible to teachers. Teachers primarily rely on intrinsic motivation and peer
networks rather than structured institutional systems. The study concludes that fostering
sustainable innovation requires clearer strategy, more visible support structures, and a shift
from permissive to proactive institutional engagement. Recommendations are provided to
guide more coherent and inclusive support practices.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen