Conceptual study addresses challenges of academic democracy and student participation in governance.
Key Points
Widening participation in university governance may improve institutional democracy, meeting aspirations of academic communities.
The study highlights three main challenges: ambiguity over oversight legitimacy, logistical integration of stakeholders, and external influence limits.
Using deliberative democratic theory, the research suggests interlinked governance structures to enhance participation while respecting corporate constraints.
Implications point to the need for universities to rethink governance frameworks to enable broader community engagement and decision-making.