Bronwen Deacon
Bronwen Deacon is an associate researcher in the research area Democratic Change and Knowledge. Previously, she led the research project Organizational Resilience and Creativity: The Future of Educational Technologies in Higher Education and took on responsibilities as co-lead of the research program Knowledge & Society.
As part of the preceding research project Organizational Adaptivity in Higher Education, in which she worked as a research associate, she began her doctoral studies. In her dissertation, she investigates organizational change processes in higher education, with a particular focus on leadership. Her research findings have been published in numerous international academic journals. Prior to this, she worked at the HIIG as project lead for the essay competition twentyforty – Utopias for a Digital Society.
Bronwen studied at the Berlin University of the Arts and Stockholm University and holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Communication in Social and Economic Contexts. In her master’s thesis, “Knowledge & Politics,” she examined the sources cited by selected politicians in their online communication on X (formerly Twitter) during the 2019 European election campaign in Germany. She is particularly interested in how organizational and communicative processes can be shaped under conditions of uncertainty, and in the role that leadership, narratives, and interaction play in enabling sustainable change.
Science & educationOrganisational Adaptivity in the German Higher Education Context
In this project, we investigate the digitalisation of higher education, with a focus placed on exploring the implementation of teaching and learning innovations.
Journal articles and conference proceedings (8)
Laufer, M., Kuper, F., Deacon, B., Sievering, M., & Schäfer, L. O. (2025). Strategic ambiguities: Exploring the role of digitalisation strategies in university teachers’ engagement with educational technology. European Journal of Higher Education, 1-19. DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2025.2486788 Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M., Mende, M. A., Tschache, T., & Schäfer, L. O. (2025). Resisting digital change at the university: An exploration into triggers and organisational countermeasures. European Journal of Higher Education, 1–24. DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2025.2512735 Publication details
Laufer, M., Schäfer, L.O., Kuper, F., & Deacon, B. (2025). Building resilient and creative universities: Exploring the new normal for eight universities across Europe. Discover Education, 4, 1-14. DOI: 10.1007/s44217-025-00580-w Publication details
Laufer, M., Deacon, B., Mende, M.A., & Schaefer, L.O. (2024). Leading with Trust: How University Leaders can Foster Innovation with Educational Technology through Organizational Trust. Innovative Higher Education. DOI: 10.1007/s10755-024-09733-5 Publication details
Timm, M., Deacon, B., Laufer, M, Schäfer, L. O. & Tschache, T. (2022). Atomisierung, Innovation und Organisation: Qualität der Lehre im ersten Digitalsemester. In M.Bigos, J. Hiebl, & I. Steinhardt (Eds.). Soziologische Betrachtungen zur Digitalisierung der Lehre (in der COVID-19-Pandemie) [Special issue] die hochschullehre, 8(28), 395-408. DOI: 10.3278/HSL2228W Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M. & Schäfer, L. O. (2022). Infusing Educational Technologies in the Heart of the University – A Systematic Literature Review from an Organisational Perspective. British Journal of Educational Technology, 0(0), 1-26. DOI: 10.1111/bjet.13277 Publication details
Laufer, M., Leiser, A., Deacon, B., Perrin de Brichambaut, P., Fecher, B., Kobsoda, C., & Hesse, F. (2021). Digital higher education: A divider or bridge builder? Leadership perspectives on EdTech in a COVID-19 reality. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(51). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239‐021‐00287‐6 Publication details
Elsholz, U., Fecher, B., Deacon, B., Schäfer, L.O., & Laufer, M. (2021). Implikationen der Covid-19-Pandemie für digitale Lehre: Organisierte Freiheit als Veränderungsparadigma. MedienPädagogik: Zeitschrift für Theorie Und Praxis Der Medienbildung, 40(CoViD-19), 472-86. DOI: 10.21240/mpaed/40/2021.11.29.X Publication details
Book contributions and chapters (5)
Schäfer, L. O., Deacon, B. & Laufer, M. (2023). Die Rolle der Digitalisierungsstrategien bei der Implementierung digitaler Lehre. In Lorenz Mrohs, Julia Franz, Dominik Herrmann, Konstantin Lindner & Thorsten Staake (Eds.), Digitale Kulturen der Lehre entwickeln. Perspektiven der Hochschuldidaktik. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-43379-6_3 Publication details
Schütz, J., Rosenkranz, L., Deacon, B. & Elsholz, U. (2022). Never walk alone. Über das Verhältnis pädagogischer Professionalität und organisationaler Bedingungen an Hochschulen in Zeiten der Pandemie. In H. Angenent, J. Petri, & T. Zimenkova (Eds.), Hochschulen in der Pandemie: Impulse für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung von Studium und Lehre. Bielefeld: transcript. Publication details
Laufer, M. Deacon, B. & Schäfer, L. O. (2022). The Power of Informal Networks: How Middle Management, Central Leadership and Trust can Impact Innovation at the University. In F. W. Hesse, C. Kobsda & C. Schemmann, Digital Transformation of Higher Education—Global Learning Report 2022. (pp. 21-23). Berlin: Global Learning Council (GLC), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst e.V. (DAAD), Times Higher Education (THE). DOI: 10.21241/ssoar.79627 Publication details
Custer, S., Deacon, B., Herckis, L., Hesse, F. W., Hörig, M., Kercher, J., Knoth, A., Knüttgen, N., Kobsda, C., Leiser, A., Meyer-Guckel, V., Ndemo, B., Saxberg, B., Vignare, K. , & Willems, D. (2021). Global Learning Council (2021). Digital Transformation of Higher Education—Global Learning Report. In Friedrich W. Hesse, Christian Kobsda & Anne Leiser, Berlin:. DOI: 10.21241/ssoar.73580 Publication details
Fecher, B., Deacon, B., Ingen-Housz, T., Sokolovska, N. (Eds.) (2020). An Unlikely Experiment., Twentyfourty - Utopias for the Digital Society (pp. 9-15) Berlin: Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3678207 Publication details
Other publications (15)
Watolla, A., Kuper, F., Deacon, B., Henker, L., Aust, A. (2026). Resilience & Creativity Canvas, . Publication details
Watolla, A., Kuper, F., Deacon, B., Henker, L., Aust, A. (2026). Resilience and creativity in higher education. A short introduction to theory and practices for working with the Resilience & Creativity Canvas, . Publication details
Watolla, A., Kuper, F., Deacon, B., Henker, L., Aust, A. (2026). Strengthening resilience and creativity in higher education institutions. A workshop playbook to initiate a multileveled reflection process. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details
Watolla, A., Kuper, F., Deacon, B., Henker, L., Aust, A. (2026). Navigating Crisis: The Learn-and-Do Kit to strengthen resilience through creativity within higher education institutions. Graphite Page.. Publication details
Deacon, B., & Laufer, M. (2024). Resistance to change: Challenges and opportunities in digital higher education. Digital society blog. Publication details
Lukan, T., Deacon, B., Kontareva, A. (2024). How TikTok Science Communicators Navigate Norms and Values in the Age of Generative AI. Elephant in the Lab Blog Journal. Publication details
Laufer, M., Kuper, F., Mende, M. A., Schäfer, L. O., Tschache T., & Deacon, B. (2023). Organizing Digital Change at the University. The Practitioners’ Field Guide for Implementing Educational Technology. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details
Deacon, B. & Leiser, A. (2022). Inequalities in higher education: A global perspective. Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (HFD) BLOG. Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M. & Sokolovska, N. (2022). Sharing knowledge: Impact of Covid-19 on digital teaching. Digital society blog. Publication details
Deacon, B. & Timm, M. (2022). Possibilities for Change: Higher Education and Digitalisation. encore. The Annual Magazine on Internet and Society Research, 2021/2022, 120-127. Publication details
Deacon, B., Timm, M. (2021). Possibilities for Change – Higher Education and Digitalisation. Elephant In The Lab Blog Journal. Publication details
Deacon, B., & Timm, M. (2021). Possibilities for Change – Higher Education and Digitalisation. Digital society blog. Publication details
Fecher, B., & Deacon, B. (2021). Turning Scientists Into Novelists. encore. The Annual Magazine on Internet and Society Research. Publication details
Fecher, B., & Deacon, B. (2020). Leben, lieben, lernen – im Jahr 2040. Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Laufer, M. & Deacon, B. (2020). The rapid digital turn: How are universities faring? Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Lectures and presentations (19)
Framing the Digital Turn: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Resilience and EdTech Narratives in Higher Education
Rethinking Resilience: Institutional Pathways through Disruption in Higher Education
Ein Krisendiskurs über Resilienz und Bildungstechnologien an Hochschulen
Resilienz und Kreativität im digitalen Wandel: Eine Typologie organisationaler Anpassung in Hochschulen
Different Forms and Pathways to Organizational Resilience of Higher Education Institutions: A Typology
Resisting Digital Change at Higher Education Institutions: Identifying Triggers and Countermeasures
Crisis Talk: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Resilience and Edtech at the University
Sensemaking and the future university: Exploring the role digitalization strategies play for university teachers’ engagement with EdTech
Vortrag: Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2024
Ein Diskurs über Verantwortung – Krise, Resilienz und EdTech an Hochschulen
Paper Presentation
Paper Presentation: Die Rolle der Digitalisierungsstrategie bei der Implementierung und dem Erhalt digitaler Lehre.
Paper Presentation: Leadership in Digital Change: An exploration of organizational trust and innovation in universities
Talk at APT – Conference 2022
Qualität in der digitalen Lehre: Eine Untersuchung von Einflussfaktoren
Enge und lose Kopplungen in der Hochschule – Die COVID-19 Pandemie und digitale Lehre
The Rapid Digital Turn: An Exploration into the Tight and Loose Coupling of University Structures [paper presentation]
Re-imagining higher education: Shifting gears and shifting visions
Lehren in der Krise, Lernen aus der Krise? Erfolg und Verstetigung digitaler Lehr- und Lerninnovationen
Panels (3)
Conference Presentation
Digital higher education: A divider or bridge builder? Leadership perspectives on digital learning for collaboration
Moderation of workshops and panels (2)
Ausstellung: Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2025
KI-Camp 2021
Organisation of events (5)
From 19.03.2026 to 19.03.2026. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Ann-Kathrin Watolla, Freia Kuper, Bronwen Deacon, Lena Marie Henkes, Anna Aust
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 202528.06.2025. Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Laura State, Sadiem Youssef, Anna Aust, Jella Ohnesorge, Philipp Mahlow, Ann-Kathrin Watolla, Katherina Holscher Blackman, Maximilian Lukat, Paul Vilchez, Daniel Pothmann, Sarah Spitz, Sami Nenno, Frederik Efferenn, Georg von Richthofen, Lena Marie Henkes, Bronwen Deacon, Jörg Pohle, Hendrik Send
Girls’ Day at HIIG: Science in Girls’ Hands03.04.2025. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany. Co-Organised by: Hacker School (National) Further information
Anna Aust, Anna Dumat, Nele Buß, Sarah Spitz, Sonja Köhne, Bronwen Deacon
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft22.06.2024. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Philipp Mahlow, Birte Lübbert, Maurice Stenzel, Alina Kontareva, Daniel Pothmann, Nele Buß, Irina Kühnlein, Sarah Spitz, Freia Kuper, Sami Nenno, Freya Hewett, Frederik Efferenn, Georg von Richthofen, Sonja Köhne, Bronwen Deacon, Matthias C. Kettemann, Thomas Christian Bächle, Nataliia Sokolovska, Martin Wrobel, Jörg Pohle, Hendrik Send, Theresa Züger, Jeanette Hofmann
twentyforty talks - Auf einen Drink mit Dirk Baeckerwith attending Vip: Dirk Baecker. 15.04.2020. Stream, Berlin, Germany (National) Further information
Bronwen Deacon, Benedikt Fecher
Participation as expert (3)
London Doctoral Summer School: “The Doctoral Process and Beyond”
The 7th HERSS Summer School “Transformation of Higher Education”
Stakeholder-Dialog – Ethik der Digitalisierung
