Multi academy trusts in England: a scenario of cooperation with universities

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the authors’ views of university–multi academy trusts’ (MATs) opportunities for future interconnectivity that could support successful partnerships. Design/methodology/approach: The authors developed a matrix of university–MATs partnerships that could help identifying potential scenarios of collaboration between universities and MATs. Findings: Four potential scenarios of collaborations are proposed (board membership, academic supervision, recruitment support and academic support). Research limitations/implications: Scholars in the field can further investigate the four proposed scenarios in the matrix in future studies. Practical implications: The matrix will be useful for universities and MATs management for potential cooperation in the future. Originality/value: The study proposes four scenarios of cooperation between MATs and universities.