Filling the Cracks With Gold: Reimagining Higher Education Through Kintsugi, Wabi-Sabi, and Transition Design

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Tinkering Toward Holism: Engaging Eastern Philosophies of Education (Table 6)

Abstract

This paper explores transformative repair in universities through the lenses of kintsugi, wabi-sabi, and Transition Design Theory. In response to neoliberal pressures in universities, we propose a different take on "cracks". Kintsugi's practice of visibly mending broken pottery with gold encourages acknowledging institutional damages. Wabi-sabi's appreciation for imperfection challenges the neoliberal drive for productivity and perfection. Transition Design Theory offers a holistic approach to institutional change. The presentation will explore these concepts and discuss transformative repair in practice. Examples will demonstrate how practitioners are redesigning curricula, governance structures, and models of community engagement. By integrating conceptual explorations with real-world examples, we aim to inspire new approaches to addressing challenges in higher education and foster dialogue about the future of universities.

Authors

• Michelle Ocriciano, University of Queensland

• Stephen Heimans, University of Queensland