Just Innovation Is Not Enough: A Multi-Level Framework for Institutionalising Teaching and Learning Innovations in Higher Education

Abstract

Abstract Despite decades of interest in teaching and learning (T&L) innovations, many fail to become institutionalised. This paper addresses this persistent challenge by proposing a new conceptual model—the Innovation Institutionalisation Framework (IIF). Developed through an abductive synthesis of institutional theory constructs—namely, DiMaggio and Powell’s (1983) framework of macro-level isomorphic pressures and Cartel et al.’s (2019) framework of micro-level institutional work—the IIF offers a dynamic, theoretically coherent, and practically relevant perspective on how structural forces and agentic efforts can be aligned to facilitate the institutionalisation of innovative educational solutions. The IIF contributes to theory, policy, and the practice of individual innovators. Theoretically, it bridges macro- and micro-level analyses, extending the institutional theory toolkit in higher education research and offering a more integrated account of institutionalisation processes. It moves beyond approaches that treat these levels in isolation by conceptualising institutionalisation as a process of mutual reinforcement between system-level arrangements and localised action. For policymakers, the framework underscores the importance of fostering innovation-conducive institutional environments that integrate regulatory direction with sustained support infrastructures, professional development systems, and incentive mechanisms. For individual innovators, the IIF offers a roadmap for assessing and mobilising the resources needed to design, advance, and embed innovative T&L models. Where macro-level support is limited, innovators may need to compensate for its absence through intensified institutional work. However, successful institutionalisation ultimately depends on the alignment between structural conditions and agentic efforts.