Conceptual Synergies in HBCU Collaborations: Bridging Theory and Practice

There are 107 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, yet synergies among them have not been fully leveraged. Recognizing the avenues where synergies can emerge is the first step to realizing them in practice. In this conceptual paper, we present a taxonomy of potential synergies, first at the partnership dyadic level and then at the network multi-nodal level within the HBCU ecosystem. We elucidate on the dyadic synergies through the collaboration between Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia. The multi-nodal synergies presented are more theoretical, but examples from other ecosystems are cited for illustration purposes. The objective of this paper is to discuss and promote more synergies from potential relationships within the HBCU ecosystem. However, the discussion is more generalizable and relevant to resource-constrained universities and colleges more broadly.