Abstract:

Innovation is fundamental for education and is one of the key factors in driving efficiency, performance and sustainability. The absence of innovation can affect organizations in a number of ways, including missed opportunities for greater efficiency, improvement of internal processes, with a negative impact on the motivation of teachers, researchers and learners, the main repositories of knowledge, values and culture across the education system. Innovative organisations generate a strong sense of belonging and convey an image of efficiency and compliance, which is critical for both faculty and value perceived by students. The aim of this text is to analyse fundamental organisational principles and trends in innovation through a fundamental literature review and critical thinking. The findings characterise current thinking on the subject of innovation, covering culture, processes and education leadership towards a higher level of innovation maturity in education organisations, and providing guidelines for improvements in what education concerns. Education is undergoing many challenges, whatever the field under appreciation. From digital transformation, artificial intelligence, to the need to increase efficiency and effectiveness, innovation is a major key in addressing such challenges. Innovation is about challenging the status quo and introducing new and better processes, services or management approaches that add value. Innovation is above all transformation which can take various forms, ranging from new teaching methodologies, processes, course designs, or organisational changes. Innovation outcomes can be incremental or radical, often classified as disruptive. The later being something rare within the education system. Some suggest that organizations should address both forms of innovation simultaneously, however it is difficult for the two types of innovation to coexist within the same organisation; however, this is what happens in so-called ambidextrous organisations. These organisations are characterised by two distinct structures. One in charge of maintaining the traditional form of operation based on incremental innovation, which requires commitment, convergence and dependence of actions, and another structure, which is dedicated to radical innovation, and therefore aims to explore new avenues of innovation, encouraging flexibility and divergence. Product innovation, on the other hand, as for instance an innovative teaching programme, results from new approaches or the combination of existing approaches and technologies to meet identified needs. However, if one looks at it from a holistic and systems way it means changing the way teaching is done, alongside the contents of programmes (or products). By addressing the innovation culture, the innovation process, as well as the direction of change within an organisation this paper will lay down a strategic approach in order to achieve higher levels of innovation within education organizations and how to make such part of those organizations DNA. The paper will be divided into several sections, which establish the general education context and research question, that has guided the literature review; the methodology selected to gather the existing information on the topic; the analysis of the topic of organising for innovation in education, specifically in the areas of organisational culture, processes and change management; followed by some conclusions.

Keywords:

Change, Education, Innovation, Leadership, Organising for innovation.