Call for Chapters - BRIDGING THE GAP: TRANSFORMING GLOBAL HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING

OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK

This book will welcome contributions related to:

SECTION 1 WIL in a Digital World – Make or Break

1. Foundations of WIL in a digital technology world

• Introduction: WIL in the context of an ever-changing digital media landscape – The evolving core principles, key components and purpose.

• Implementation and challenges of WIL-in-Transition, in higher education - Pre, during, and post-pandemic era.

• Effective communication as a catalyst in promoting WIL in physical, hybrid, and virtual settings.

• Use of responsible artificial intelligence in higher education.

2. Technology, innovation and the post-pandemic WIL landscape

• Digital and virtual WIL tools, platforms and pedagogies.

• Hybrid WIL tools, platforms and pedagogies.

• Contact WIL tools, platforms and pedagogies.

• Transforming experience into enterprise: the entrepreneurial outcomes of WIL.

SECTION 2 Curriculum Design, Skills and Career Development

3. WIL pedagogy: Changing curriculum and assessments

• Design of contemporary WIL curriculum, learning outcomes, competencies and assessment.

• Students’ classroom-industry transit, preparedness, support and well-being.

• New ways of industry/employer engagement and partnership models.

4. WIL Employment skills and career development toolbox

• Advanced CV writing for WIL and early career pathways.

• Current WIL placement and job search methods and skills.

• Contemporary employer expectations and interview skills.

• Developing graduate attributes and employability skills during WIL.

SECTION 3 Internationalisation, Geopolitics and Inclusive WIL

5. WIL in a changing geopolitical landscape

• The impact of transnational higher education on the usefulness of WIL.

• WIL and Inclusive higher education: prospects and problems.

• The Role of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), and the Association of African Business Schools (AABS). [Note – November 2025 was busy for the ACU in Nairobi and the AABS surprise forum in Hyderabad, India].

6. WIL implementation and Stakeholder voices

• Current road map and institutional toolkit for WIL implementation.

• Forms of WIL: Traditional placements, Simulations, Project-based Learning, Service Learning, Work-Directed Theory, etc.

• The WIL students’ voice regarding WIL implementation.

• The industry voice regarding WIL implementation.

• The WIL coordinators’ voice regarding WIL implementation.

7. Global perspectives: Case studies

• Country/regional and cross-national WIL case studies.

• Social justice: equity, access and inclusion in WIL.

• Quality assurance, accreditation and evaluation of impact.

• Ethical, legal and risk management issues.

8. Changing WIL policies and future directions

• Future policies/models/systems/strategies/directions for WIL implementation towards and beyond 2030.