New Study on Hybrid Work at German Universities Published in the Renowned Journal "Higher Education"

The article "Academic hybrid work. Institutional logics and creative assemblies in German universities" by Maximiliane Wilkesmann, Katharina Hast, Mona Bassyiouny, and Judith Becker examines how three German universities organize hybrid work, particularly mobile work, working from home, and temporary work from abroad (workation).

In this empirical study, we specifically examine how three German universities organize hybrid work—in particular, mobile work, working from home, and temporary work from abroad (workations). The focus is on how universities reconcile different, sometimes conflicting requirements: academic autonomy, administrative oversight and legal certainty, international competitiveness, and the opportunities and control potential offered by digital technologies.

Based on a comparative case study, we analyzed service agreements on mobile work as well as nine expert interviews with the stakeholders involved in their development. In doing so, we identify three distinct forms of a creative yet highly selective integration of various institutional logics.

    Flexibility-Oriented Approach Through Academic Autonomy: A model that relies on trust, individual responsibility, and minimal bureaucratic hurdles.
    Structured balance: An approach that enables mobility and self-organization while simultaneously managing legal and administrative risks through clear procedures and responsibilities.
    Standardization and risk avoidance: A model with detailed regulations for working from home, but one that largely excludes mobile work and work from abroad.


Our findings show that there is no uniform organizational form for hybrid work at universities. Although all universities examined operate within the same legal framework, their regulations differ significantly from one another, which is interesting. Hybrid work thus proves to be an expression of differing institutional priorities—for example, between trust and control, international appeal and compliance, or individual flexibility and a culture of shared presence.


The article is available via Open Access:

Wilkesmann, M., Hast, K., Bassyiouny, M. & Becker, J. (2025): Academic hybrid work. Academic hybrid work. Institutional Logics and Creative Assemblies in German Universities. Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-025-01567-0