Bridging Schools and Universities: Collaborative Models for Research Capacity Building—A Systematic Review

Abstract

Increasing attention has been given to strengthening educational practice through the use of research evidence. However, the relationship between educational research and school practice remains fragmented, particularly regarding how school–university partnerships (SUPs) support teachers’ engagement with evidence and their role as epistemic agents. The aim of this study is to identify the characteristics of collaboration models between schools and universities that shape different forms of teachers’ engagement with research and the collaborative development of professional knowledge. Following the PRISMA protocol, 20 studies published between 2020 and 2025 were selected from Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC and analysed to address four research questions on the objectives, actors, organisational dynamics, and reported impacts of SUPs. Based on the analysis, the study proposes three distinct configurations for examining the relationship between SUPs, research utilisation, and teachers’ epistemic agency: an approach to teacher training, an approach to fostering informed professionals, and an approach centred on the co-creation of knowledge. These configurations reflect different levels of teachers’ epistemic agency and vary according to the organisational conditions that support evidence use. The study offers an analytical framework for understanding the potential and limitations of SUPs in strengthening research-informed practices and for guiding future collaborative initiatives.