Chapter 21. Value co-creating pedagogies: capability development through creating value for others

Demands on universities to demonstrate societal relevance extend into the heart of the education we give students while they are enrolled with us. Fundamental to this is the expectation to demonstrate value for the students, future employers, and society. In this chapter we argue that, in the context of business education, this social contract should be extended to encompass educational practices that bring together educators, students, and external partners to foster the development of students’ transformative capabilities. Value co-creation pedagogies enable students to experiment with a pre-professional identity and appropriate behaviours in relevant professional roles, using existing discipline skills while developing the capabilities required to solve work-related problems. This chapter presents a framework for value co-creating pedagogies where students, educators, and external organisations are represented. Through three examples of educational practices with value co-creation pedagogy that involve internal and external stakeholders in a Danish educational context, we discuss how the involved parties create value and foster the development of students’ transformative capabilities and skills needed for future employment. We conclude the chapter with a general discussion on the core characteristics of value co-creating pedagogies and how this pedagogical approach may help business education respond to employer expectations and societal needs in the future.