Enhancing social impact in business schools: connecting resident and diaspora scholars

Business schools are increasingly called upon to address pressing global challenges by aligning their research, teaching and institutional missions with the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). Across the globe, higher education institutions are being urged to move beyond narrow academic excellence and instead position themselves as active agents of societal transformation – advancing community engagement, environmental sustainability and inclusive economic development (Fisk, 2025; García-Feijoo et al., 2020; Kolb et al., 2017; Rosenbaum and Dickens, 2025; Talwar et al., 2024). This evolving mandate reflects a paradigmatic shift in the purpose of business education: from producing market-ready graduates to cultivating socially responsible leaders capable of responding to systemic crises such as inequality, climate change and institutional fragility.

To understand how business schools contribute to sustainable development and generate tangible societal outcomes, this study draws on two interrelated theoretical frameworks: the multi-stakeholder framework and the triple helix model. The multi-stakeholder approach (Freeman and Reed, 1983; Parmar et al., 2010) conceptualises social impact as a function of collaborative value creation among academia, government, industry and civil society. It moves beyond the notion of universities as insular knowledge producers, instead positioning them as civic institutions embedded in broader societal ecosystems. This model is increasingly applied to assess how institutions align teaching, research and service missions with SDG priorities – such as quality education (SDG 4), decent work (SDG 8) and inclusive institutions (SDG 16) – through reciprocal engagement with diverse external actors (Kabadayi and Jason-DiBartolo, 2022; van den Akker, 2025a; Zhu and Dolnicar, 2025). The social impact here is defined not only by outputs (e.g. research projects, graduate skills) but by outcomes: whether business schools contribute to social resilience, equitable growth and policy innovation in their communities.

Complementing this, the triple helix model (Leydesdorff and Etzkowitz, 2003) focuses on the interdependence between academia, industry and the state as key drivers of innovation and societal transformation. It conceptualises business schools as hybrid institutions that co-produce knowledge and shape institutional reforms in tandem with public and private stakeholders. The model has shown particular value in framing the social impact of business schools in non-linear, complex development contexts – such as those emerging from political transition, state restructuring or post-conflict reconstruction.

While a growing body of literature has explored how business schools in high-income countries are integrating sustainability principles and social impact into their operations (Chell et al., 2025; Irungu and Liu, 2024; Macht et al., 2020; van den Akker, 2025b), much less is known about how this agenda is unfolding in post-communist countries. These systems represent unique institutional settings: shaped by decades of centralised governance, rigid academic structures and isolation from global research communities, they face complex challenges in implementing reform (Kučera, 2022; Varblane and Mets, 2010). Business schools in such contexts often remain marginal to internationalisation and knowledge-based development strategies, despite their potential role in shaping economic leadership and policy-relevant research. The above-mentioned models thus serve not only as analytical scaffolding but also as normative guides for evaluating what impactful, socially embedded academic engagement ought to look like in post-communist settings. In Albania, for example, public universities continue to grapple with weak research infrastructure, politicised academic recruitment and a lack of critical thinking traditions in the social sciences (Kopnina and Bedford, 2024; Novelli, 2023). Despite successive waves of higher education reform since the early 2000s, internally driven efforts have largely failed to produce systemic change, often faltering under the weight of entrenched clientelism, fragmented governance and institutional inertia. Reform strategies implemented without external pressure or expertise have tended to remain either rhetorical or short-lived. These limitations are particularly acute in business schools, where low levels of academic publishing, limited postgraduate supervision and outdated curricula continue to undermine their societal relevance – especially in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation and management education, where critical thinking was historically marginalised under communist ideological control (Kučera, 2022; Novelli, 2023).

It is within this context that diaspora engagement emerges as a structurally necessary and contextually embedded pathway for transformation. Diaspora engagement presents a distinctive and underused lever for research sustainability and long-term academic reform. According to Grossman (2019), “diaspora” refers to a transnational community whose members (or their ancestors) have dispersed or emigrated from a shared homeland, but who maintain a collective identity, sustain social and organisational ties across borders and orient themselves materially and symbolically towards their place of origin. While general international collaboration often involves externally driven, time-bound partnerships, diaspora engagement is anchored in emotional connection, shared identity and long-term commitment to institutional reform (Sinanan and Horst, 2022). Diasporas typically possess intimate cultural and linguistic knowledge of the home country while also being embedded in global research and innovation ecosystems. This dual positioning allows them to function as both epistemic brokers and institutional translators, helping local actors bridge global standards with contextual realities (Fernandes, 2021; Rizvi, 2021). Diaspora programs have proven efficient for building capacities, improve economic outcome and support SDG-related projects in developing (Madichie and Madichie, 2017; Newland, 2002) and African (Chigova and Hofisi, 2023; Oumar et al., 2020; Ramachandran and Crush, 2021) countries.

The importance of diaspora engagement in Albania is underscored by the country’s exceptionally high rates of migration and sustained intellectual emigration over the past three decades. According to World Bank estimates, nearly 40% of Albania’s population resides abroad, making it one of the countries with the highest emigration rates per capita in Europe. According to Gëdeshi and King (2021, 2018) hundreds of Albanian scholars currently working in academic and research institutions abroad, many of whom hold doctoral degrees and occupy senior positions in organisation for economic co-operation and development (OECD) countries. The Albanian scientific diaspora holds the potential to reverse the effects of the “brain drain” that has impacted Albania due to high emigration rates. It also has the power to enhance capacities and bring about structural changes in the Albanian higher education system. Therefore, leveraging the diaspora’s expertise, networks and institutional affiliations is not simply desirable – it is vital for enhancing Albania’s knowledge economy, revitalising public universities and aligning academic practices with global standards of excellence and social impact.

The Albanian American Development Fund (AADF) considers education as a strategic priority for the sustainable development of Albania, therefore they launched the research expertise from the academic diaspora (READ) Fellowship program to make use of the untapped potential of the Albanian scientific diaspora (IIE, 2025). The AADF has partnered with the Institute for International Education for this programme, which brings extensive experience in international exchanges and offers a proven model for diaspora fellowships. The programme’s primary objectives are threefold:

1. sustainability – building long-term collaborations between diaspora scholars and Albanian HEIs;

2. institutional capacity building – enhancing curricula, graduate programming and research capacity; and

3. community engagement – strengthening knowledge production and international visibility.

To achieve these objectives, the programme has defined four concrete focus areas of activity: co-authored research papers, joint supervision of PhDs, curricula development and co-teaching initiatives. The end goal is to engage 100 diaspora academics across these areas, thereby providing albanian higher education institutions (HEIs) with expanded access to grants, resources and training in project design and grant applications.

Resident scholars are responsible for submitting the project details that they wish to work on with a “diaspora scholar”. The three key program objectives are:

1. sustainability – sustainable collaborations between diaspora scholars and Albanian HEIs while fostering the opportunity for new collaborations and increasing access to research funding;

2. institutional capacity building – educational projects in collaborative research, curriculum offerings, graduate programming and PhD mentoring; and

3. Community engagement – knowledge production, international collaborative networks and increased visibility and engagement with Albanian HEIs.

Unlike project-based external interventions, READ leverages the transnational identity, long-term commitment and cultural fluency of the Albanian diaspora to strengthen local academic capacities. Since its inception, the programme has supported 17 projects across six business schools, offering a replicable model for diaspora-enabled reform in other post-communist or transition settings. READ exemplifies how diaspora engagement can be institutionalised to systematically enhance business schools’ alignment with SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). This supports what (Koinova, 2009) characterises as the political and epistemic potential of post-communist diasporas to drive democratisation and institutional innovation – not merely through funding or visibility, but through institutional norm transfer and practice diffusion.

The READ programme exemplifies both the multi-stakeholder framework and the Triple Helix model in action. By connecting diaspora and resident scholars through joint research, curricula reform and mentorship, it fosters collaboration between academia, government and society. Unlike conventional international partnerships, diaspora engagement in READ is rooted in long-term commitment and contextual familiarity, allowing scholars to act as institutional translators who bridge global standards with local realities. This design makes READ not only a capacity-building mechanism but also a structural intervention tailored to Albania’s post-communist challenges in higher education.

This paper investigates the READ programme as a case of structured diaspora engagement in Albanian post-communist business schools. We argue that diaspora engagement – particularly in fragile or transitioning systems – can serve as a key driver for SDG integration, institutional capacity building and long-term social impact in business education. The following research questions guide our study:

In addressing these questions, this study contributes to three core debates, namely, the operationalisation of the triple helix and multi-stakeholder frameworks in post-communist settings, the role of diaspora in driving social impact business schools and the reimagining of development partnerships through the lens of transnationally embedded and emotionally invested actors rather than transactional international alliances.

The remainder of the paper is structured as follows: Section 2 outlines the research design, data sources and methodological approach. Section 3 presents the triangulated findings from project documentation and interviews, structured around the three research questions. Section 4 discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the READ programme in relation to social impact, diaspora engagement and post-communist higher education. Section 5 concludes with reflections on limitations and future research directions.

This study uses a triangulated qualitative design combining document analysis of 17 READ-funded projects (2021–2024) with semi-structured interviews with six resident fellows. The triangulated design of the study allowed us to cross-validate insights from the documentary analysis with the experiential accounts of resident scholars, thereby strengthening the reliability of our findings. It also enabled us to contextualise programme-level trends with individual-level narratives, capturing both the structural impact and lived experiences associated with the READ programme. Further details on the sampling strategy, coding procedures and interview protocols are provided in the Web Appendix accompanying this article.

The research design comprises two interrelated phases. In the first phase, we conducted a document analysis of all 17 READ-funded projects implemented between 2021 and 2024 across six Albanian business schools – five public and one private with Economics, Accounting/Finance and Business as the most common fields retrieved by the official page of the READ program (AADF, 2025).

The projects are treated as the unit of analysis, enabling us to examine its objectives, thematic focus, duration, institutional affiliation and alignment with specific SDGs. For a detailed explanation of the total sample of the research projects, please refer to Table 2 in the Web Appendix related to this paper.

Summarized information of the total READ projects carried in business schools so far is reported in Table 1 below. The projects predominantly targeted SDG 17 (partnerships), SDG 8 (decent work) and SDG 4 (quality education). Diaspora fellows were mostly male (58.8%) and aged 35–55 (mean ≈ 44.2), while resident fellows had a near gender balance and a slightly younger average age (≈ 42.1). The majority of collaborations were based in Tirana (52.9%), with the USA as the most frequent origin of diaspora partners. All projects ran for 12 months, except one and focused on joint research, curricula development, co-teaching and PhD supervision.

In the second phase of our research, we conducted semi-structured interviews with six resident scholars who had participated in the READ programme. We contacted all eligible READ project resident scholars from each business school involved in the 2022, 2023 or 2024 fellowship cohorts to ensure coverage across institutional contexts and control for university-specific effects. The interviews were designed to capture the participants’ first-hand perspectives on the implementation and longer-term effects of the READ programme at their respective institutions. Participation was based on the first-to-consent principle, given the researchers’ existing professional acquaintance with several potential participants. This approach ensured voluntary participation while also controlling for institutional diversity in the sample.

The development of the interview guide was directly informed by the three research questions guiding this study. Interview prompts were open-ended and thematically aligned to explore:

1. how READ projects contributed to SDG integration in teaching and research;

2. what opportunities and challenges were encountered in collaborating with diaspora fellows; and

3. to what extent these experiences were sustained and replicable beyond the programme.

Sample questions included:

This approach allowed for thematic flexibility while ensuring consistency across interviews.

Interviews were primarily conducted in person, either on university premises or in a setting convenient to the participant. Depending on individual preferences, interviews were either audio-recorded or detailed notes were taken in real time. Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to the start of the interview. To ensure anonymity and confidentiality, all interviewees have been assigned pseudonymous identifiers (RS01 through RS06) and any identifying information has been removed from the transcripts and analysis. Interviews were conducted primarily in Albanian, with two participants opting to switch intermittently between Albanian and English. All interviews were transcribed verbatim in Albanian and subsequently translated into English for the purpose of analysis. To ensure accuracy and consistency, translations were cross-checked by two bilingual reviewers from the department of English language at the University of Shkodra “Luigj Gurakuqi”, with discrepancies discussed among the interviewer and translator and resolved collaboratively.

The qualitative material was analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and divergent perspectives across the data set. The interview transcripts were analysed through thematic coding. An initial codebook was developed deductively from the research questions and inductively refined as new themes emerged. Two members of the research team independently coded all six transcripts, after which intercoder reliability was assessed (Cohen’s κ = 0.82, indicating strong agreement). Discrepancies were discussed and resolved collaboratively, ensuring consistency across the data set.

This section presents triangulated findings from both the document analysis of 17 READ-funded projects (2022–2024) across six Albanian business schools and thematic analysis of six semi-structured interviews with resident scholars involved in the programme. Findings are organised around the three research questions, offering a multi-level perspective on the impact and limitations of diaspora engagement in Albanian higher education.

Regarding the first research question, on how does the READ program facilitate the integration of SDGs into research and teaching in Albanian business schools, the document analysis reveals that the READ programme has been a critical enabler of SDG integration across Albanian business schools, particularly in relation to SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Among the 17 projects analysed, a strong emphasis was placed on curriculum development, co-teaching and collaborative research that aligned with both national development priorities and global sustainability frameworks. The University of Tirana led in volume and diversity of projects, with initiatives addressing poverty (SDG 1), educational quality (SDG 4) and labour market relevance (SDG 8), particularly through active learning methodologies and employability-focused teaching. Similarly, the University of Agriculture of Tirana delivered impactful projects on agricultural resilience and climate adaptation (SDG 2 and SDG 13), including risk perception studies and the integration of climate change into economics syllabi. Aleksandër Moisiu University in Durrës and the University of Shkodra “Luigj Gurakuqi” contributed to strengthening innovation capacities (SDG 9) and the institutionalisation of sustainable tourism education (SDG 8 and SDG 11).

Several projects explicitly aimed at redesigning entire degree programmes, such as the master of science in healthcare management (University of Shkodra) or introducing novel pedagogical streams like real-life entrepreneurship learning (University of Agriculture of Tirana) and circular economy education (Epoka University). These curriculum reforms reflect a systemic embedding of the SDGs across disciplines including accounting, finance, economics, tourism and marketing. These institutional developments were further substantiated through interview data. Participants underscored the transformative role of diaspora collaboration in renewing academic content and teaching practices, offering students more applied, relevant and interdisciplinary learning experiences:

In sum, the READ programme has contributed to more than incremental curriculum change; it has encouraged Albanian business schools to anchor their teaching and research within a broader mission of societal transformation. By aligning academic content with labour market needs, environmental sustainability and inclusive governance, these projects exemplify the strategic integration of SDG priorities into higher education in a post-communist context. The combination of institutional uptake and experiential learning points to a maturing SDG literacy among both educators and students.

In the second research question, about the challenges and opportunities associated with leveraging diaspora expertise for social impact, the document analysis confirms the READ programme’s instrumental role in fostering high-quality collaborations between Albanian resident scholars and diaspora academics affiliated with institutions in the USA, Italy, the UK and Portugal. These partnerships supported co-authored research, interdisciplinary curriculum design, co-teaching and doctoral supervision across strategic areas such as sustainable tourism, financial risk management, health economics and anti-corruption studies.

Several projects went beyond the initial scope of fellowship activity. For example, the PhD programme in Economy and Sustainable Tourism at the University of Shkodra and the Circular Economy and Sustainability initiative at Epoka University illustrate how diaspora fellows contributed not only to the immediate delivery of outputs but also to institutional capacity building. The continuation of joint publications, shared conference panels and external grant applications following the conclusion of these projects points to the programme’s longitudinal impact.

Indeed, although the READ fellowships are short-term by design, they have increasingly functioned as steppingstones for broader academic engagement – serving as entry points for both formal and informal forms of collaboration. These include continued research partnerships, joint Horizon Europe or COST Action applications, co-supervision of PhD students and participation in shared academic networks. This pattern was consistently reflected in the interview data:

This sustained engagement appears to be driven by the unique positionality of diaspora scholars, who combine international research experience with cultural fluency and a sense of social responsibility towards their country of origin. This dual anchoring enhances trust and co-ownership – features that distinguish diaspora engagement from transactional, donor-driven partnerships:

While some participants acknowledged that administrative processes and university-level bureaucracy presented obstacles, these were largely perceived as surmountable – particularly when framed against the mutual enthusiasm and commitment of both partners. Rather than halting collaboration, these procedural issues were described as requiring negotiation and informal workarounds:

These findings suggest that although the READ programme is temporally limited, its impact is not. By catalysing enduring scholarly relationships and embedding Albanian scholars in wider European research ecosystems, the programme lays the groundwork for long-term academic advancement. The continuity of engagement – manifested in joint EU grant applications, publications and regional academic leadership – demonstrates the transformative potential of diaspora-driven collaboration when it is both structurally enabled and relationally sustained.

Regarding the third research question, on the extent to which the READ program’s framework be replicated in other developing or transition economies, both data sources suggest that the READ programme provides a flexible, scalable and context-sensitive model of diaspora engagement that could be effectively replicated in other transition or developing countries – particularly those facing similar legacies of institutional fragmentation, brain drain and limited research infrastructure.

The diversity of disciplines covered by the 17 projects – ranging from health economics and entrepreneurship to corruption studies and environmental management – demonstrates the programme’s responsiveness to varied institutional and national priorities. For instance, Epoka University’s collaboration with Cardiff Metropolitan University introduced circular economy pedagogy aligned with SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), while Aleksander Moisiu University’s joint work on life insurance and research methods reinforced foundational academic competencies (SDG 4, SDG 17). Similarly, the “Integrative Modelling for Health Economics” project at Aleksander Xhuvani University and the “Economy and Sustainable Tourism” PhD programme in Shkodra point to the model’s ability to support advanced academic programming in under-resourced institutions.

Interview participants consistently emphasised that READ’s strength lies not only in its structure and funding model, but in its ability to cultivate relational depth and mutual commitment. This quality, they argued, makes it far more effective – and culturally resonant – than conventional donor-funded or project-based international collaborations:

Several participants reflected on how the programme’s outcomes extended beyond academic deliverables. In some cases, research findings fed directly into policy dialogues or institutional planning – showing the governance potential of academically anchored diaspora collaboration:

Others noted that READ functioned as a gateway programme, preparing local institutions for future involvement in European or international consortia:

What distinguishes READ is not merely its outputs, but its transferability as a model. It is both replicable and adaptable: replicable in its structure – based on short-term fellowships anchored in SDG priorities – and adaptable in its execution, shaped by the institutional maturity, disciplinary focus and relational histories of the partners involved.

This study explores the social impact of business schools in transition economies through an in-depth examination of the READ programme in Albania. By combining document analysis and interviews, we demonstrate how diaspora engagement facilitates the integration of SDG priorities into research and teaching while simultaneously strengthening institutional capacity in fragile academic systems. Through the READ programme, Albanian business schools have introduced novel pedagogies, expanded interdisciplinary curricula and participated in global research ecosystems – all contributing to SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). These transformations are not merely technical upgrades but indicate deeper shifts in how academic institutions define their mission and role in society.

Importantly, Table 2 in the extended appendix illustrates that most READ projects engaged a variety of stakeholders consistent with the Triple Helix model. For instance, the Circular Economy and Sustainability initiative at Epoka University brought together diaspora academics, local faculty and private-sector actors from the green technology sector. Similarly, the Sustainable Tourism and Heritage project coordinated by the University of Tirana involved municipal tourism boards and community stakeholders, integrating academic research with local policy frameworks. Several projects, such as the Higher Education Financing collaboration at the University of Agriculture of Tirana, also engaged public institutions – linking academic research directly with national policy design and funding strategy. These examples demonstrate how the programme enabled knowledge co-production across academia, government and industry, rather than isolating reform efforts within university silos.

The distinctiveness of the post-communist context lies in its institutional legacies of centralised governance, underinvestment in research capacity and academic isolation from international epistemic communities. In Albania – as in many post-socialist systems – universities have historically functioned as bureaucratic extensions of the state, with limited incentives for innovation, interdisciplinary research or public engagement. These conditions have fostered institutional inertia and limited the absorptive capacity of reforms. The READ programme intervenes precisely within this context – not by imposing external templates but by drawing on the relational and epistemic capital of the Albanian diaspora to catalyse reform from within the system.

Furthermore, this study underscores that diaspora engagement is not merely a workaround for skills shortages or funding gaps, but a transformational force in settings where domestic institutional reform has repeatedly faltered. In line with Koinova (2009), we argue that diaspora actors function as “norm entrepreneurs” – promoting pluralistic academic standards, participatory governance and cross-sectoral collaboration. These values, shaped by their embeddedness in liberal-democratic and knowledge-based systems abroad, help reorient Albanian academic institutions towards greater transparency, interdisciplinary and public accountability. In this sense, the READ programme enables a dual-layered change process: technical capacity building and normative realignment – both of which are crucial in navigating what Levitsky and Way (2002) define as “competitive authoritarian” regimes, where formal rules often mask deeper structural constraints on reform.

This paper advances theoretical understanding on two fronts. Firstly, it strengthens the multi-stakeholder framework by showing that diaspora scholars – often excluded from conventional stakeholder mappings – can act as pivotal agents of institutional change. They function not only as external collaborators but as hybrid actors embedded in both global and local ecosystems. Their contributions go beyond one-time interventions and include curriculum reform, doctoral training, research network expansion and policy engagement, all aligned with SDG objectives.

Secondly, the study offers a grounded operationalisation of the Triple Helix model (Leydesdorff and Etzkowitz, 2003) in a transition economy. The model assumes functional interplay between academia, government and industry in generating innovation and social progress. Our findings illustrate how READ projects served as microcosms of this model. For instance, projects on health economics and public finance co-developed by diaspora fellows and resident scholars were used in policy briefs submitted to parliamentary committees, exemplifying direct interaction between knowledge producers and state institutions. Similarly, several projects engaged with business stakeholders, including rural cooperatives and tourism associations, to co-design practical teaching cases and facilitate community-based learning.

While the Triple Helix model is often used to describe advanced innovation ecosystems, this study extends its applicability to post-communist settings by revealing how diaspora actors can serve as translational conduits – mediating between the academic sphere and other helix actors that remain underdeveloped or fragmented. This reconceptualization allows for a more dynamic and relational view of how innovation systems emerge in constrained environments.

Beyond the post-communist context, the findings contribute to diaspora and development literature by showing how diaspora engagement can function not just in humanitarian or remittance-based roles, but in systemic institutional strengthening. Specifically, the study speaks to three key streams:

1. diaspora knowledge transfer and higher education reform (e.g. Rizvi, 2021; Fernandes, 2021);

2. diasporas as institutional intermediaries and norm entrepreneurs in fragile academic systems (e.g. Koinova, 2009; Ramachandran and Crush, 2021); and

3. structured diaspora programmes as scalable models for knowledge transfer and reform in Global South settings where institutions face path dependency, limited capacity and legitimacy deficits (e.g. Chigova and Hofisi, 2023; Madichie and Madichie, 2017).

The practical implications of the READ programme can be considered at three levels of stakeholders – national policymakers and government institutions, universities and academic staff and international funders and development partners. Each group plays a distinct but interdependent role in sustaining diaspora-enabled reforms and maximising their long-term social impact.

At the national level, READ provides a compelling model for rebuilding research and teaching infrastructure in under-resourced business schools. By embedding diaspora engagement into institutional routines – co-teaching, grant writing, doctoral supervision – it fosters horizontal accountability, international benchmarking and skills transfer. For Albanian universities, we recommend the formalisation of follow-up mechanisms to consolidate these gains. This may include joint research centres, sabbatical schemes or co-funded PhD programmes that extend diaspora collaboration beyond short-term fellowships.

Regionally, the model offers practical value for other post-communist and Global South countries with large and skilled diaspora populations. Countries such as Georgia, Moldova, Tunisia or North Macedonia can replicate READ by establishing transparent calls for collaborative academic proposals, ensuring alignment with national development plans and SDG targets. Governments should consider embedding such programmes in national higher education strategies, supported by flexible grant frameworks and streamlined administrative processes.

For international funders, this study highlights that investing in diaspora-led initiatives can yield high returns on development and governance indicators. Rather than viewing diaspora as donors or remitters, policy frameworks should support them as development co-producers, with structured engagement pathways in academia, research and public policy.

In sum, the READ programme offers a compelling template for countries seeking to strategically leverage their academic diaspora for national development. By balancing structural support with relational trust and short-term engagements with long-term vision, it stands as a promising innovation in the higher education and sustainable development landscape of post-communist and Global South contexts alike. The triangulated evidence demonstrates that structured diaspora programmes can provide scalable models for knowledge transfer and reform, particularly in settings where institutions face capacity constraints and legitimacy deficits, thereby offering a pathway for long-term academic resilience and systemic transformation.

To support practitioners in operationalising these lessons, we have also included in the supplementary appendix a practitioner-oriented resource: a checklist for leveraging diaspora engagement in business schools, which translates the study’s insights into actionable steps for policymakers, universities and international funders.

This study focuses on a single programme in a specific national context. Although the findings are robust and triangulated, they reflect perspectives from one set of stakeholders – resident academics. Future research should incorporate the views of diaspora scholars, students and policy-makers to provide a more holistic evaluation. Quantitative studies could track longitudinal outcomes such as publication productivity, curriculum reform metrics or institutional accreditation milestones linked to diaspora engagement.

Comparative studies between countries with different diaspora engagement models could also offer insight into which institutional configurations are most effective. Finally, further theoretical elaboration is needed to better understand the relational dimensions of diaspora engagement – trust, shared identity and co-ownership – and how these shape long-term developmental outcomes in higher education.

As the research team was institutionally affiliated with one of the universities participating in READ, potential bias cannot be entirely excluded. To mitigate this risk, we relied on methodological triangulation (document analysis and interviews), ensured anonymisation of all participants and followed a transparent coding protocol. Future research should consider additional safeguards, such as including external coders or mixed teams of resident and diaspora scholars, to further reduce potential bias.

The supplementary material for this article can be found online.