Abstract:

Third stream activities are vital for Global Higher Education, with reciprocal benefits for both International Higher Education and the global business community including key impacts/benefits. Although evidence implies that Universities are actively embedding and integrating third stream alongside first and second stream curriculum activities, the paper would challenge such rhetoric and is far from the truth. The paper reports a study in the North East of England, involving all 5 universities. The results synthesized validate this stance and with the aid of tangible evidence further implies that there is in fact a clear miss-match of perceptions and a situation in which many Universities are clearly struggling to demonstrate tangible internal and external third stream key performance indicators. Empirical research conducted in 2012, discovered executive and procedural failings that clearly stifled academics in actively becoming involved participants in external activities. The paper concludes in presenting both an operational and strategic theoretical framework to embed ‘Third Steam’ activities within Higher Education and its effective integration within ‘First and Second Stream’ initiatives.